Democrat Push for NY Redistricting is Partisan Gamesmanship and Against the Will of the People
From the Office of NYS Assemblyman Joe Sempolinski,
Assemblyman Joe Sempolinski said efforts by Gov. Hochul and her allies in the Legislature to allow mid-decade redistricting is a partisan power grab and a slap in the face to New York’s voters.
“The governor has already tried twice to fiddle with these lines. This is nothing more than partisan political gamesmanship and an attempt to create gerrymandered districts that favor members of Governor Hochul’s political party,” Assemblyman Sempolinski said. “It’s wrong and it’s against the will of the people of New York who voted to enshrine anti-gerrymandering into the state constitution.
“In 2014 the people of the state of New York approved a state proposition to prohibit partisan gerrymandering and create the Independent Redistricting Commission. That’s the will of the people of New York, the people we work for.”
Gov. Hochul said she’s open to redrawing New York’s congressional district map before the next census in 2030. On Wednesday, state Sen. Michael Gianaris and Assembly Member Micah Lasher introduced a state constitutional Amendment to allow the Legislature to engage in off-year redistricting. Gov. Hochul is a Democrat and Democrats hold a majority in the state Senate and Assembly.
“They’re trying to rig the rules to their advantage,” Assemblyman Sempolinski said. “This is an attempt by the Democrat leadership in Albany to subvert the democratic process and alter district lines for partisan political gain.”
Assemblyman Joe Sempolinski represents the 148th New York Assembly District, which consists of all of Cattaraugus and Allegany counties and portions of Steuben County. For more information, visit Assemblyman Sempolinski’s website.
