PWM’s Redistricting Program

Partisan and racial gerrymandering distorts and undermines representative democracy by allowing of officials to select their voters rather than voters to select their of officials. When done for purposes of racial discrimination or to ensure the dominance of one political party, or even to ensure the election of a specific legislator, gerrymandering runs counter to equal voting rights for all. (LWV US)

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What our PWM League has done, is doing Public Hearings — and how else you can participate Local maps — current and proposed NY State League initiatives — videos and education LWV NY and LWV US Positions on Apportionment Why is NYS redistricting? Find out more

What our PWM League has done, is doing

Our local league advocates for fair political maps for all elected offices. We oppose partisan and racial gerrymandering. We are supported by the LWV US and LWV NY, which have been active in supporting fair apportionment for more than half a century. (See the LWV NY apportionment position here. LWVUS apportionment & Redistricting position here, p.34-38) Briefly, the US position tells us: [We] Support redistricting processes and enforceable standards that promote fair and effective representation at all levels of government with maximum opportunity for public participation. (p.11, LWVUS Impact on Issues, 2020-22) In 2020 PWM members began attending training in redistricting — what it is, what value our League can offer our communities — and have continued training through 2021. Members of the Independent Redistricting Commission (NYIRC.gov) were named in January and February of 2021. Beginning in early 2021, our PWM members met monthly via Zoom, under the leadership of a PWM member, with members of the Nassau County ILO. Working with Nassau County League members in broad outreach to residents across Nassau County and seeking to build meaningful partnerships, our task force encouraged the participation of “Communities of Interest.” While engaging with dozens of local community groups, we organized educational presentations for members of the public and league members. At these events, we encouraged individuals and groups to submit written and oral testimony at hearings held in the summer by NYIRC. You can review some of our events and testimony here:

“The Redistricting of Nassau County.” September 23. Town hall hosted by Blank Slate Media, with two panelists, one from LWV PWM. — video here
“Redistricting 101.” September 22, 2021. Education event hosted by the Glen Cove Public Library — video here — pdf presentation here
“Testimony Submitted to NYIRC” by LWV Nassau County. July 21, 2021. video here (testimony begins 24:00)— written testimony pdf here …(embed url here: https://youtu.be/DuWDR8GyaWo how to change description?)
“Testimony Submitted” at LWVNY People’s Hearing, April 29, 2021. Includes testimony by LWV Long Beach and 14 NYS local leagues — LWV Long Beach begins p.12 video here

Since Spring 2021, our community engagement has included training on the “People-Powered Fair Maps,” software developed by the LWV US so ordinary citizens can offer more informed recommendations about drawing district boundaries. League members and the public across NYS and within Nassau County use these maps to inform testimony to the NYIRC. (Links to some of this training are below.) Throughout the summer of 2021, residents and groups used PPFM to explore designing districts, some of which can be seen in the written testimony (see links above.) In mid-September, the NYIRC, rather than releasing one set of maps (as required by the 2015 Amendment to the NYS Constitution), released two sets of maps, each supported by a partisan subset of the NYIRC. The LWV NY translated these into more user-friendly software (Google maps) and released them shortly thereafter. This first set of maps is available here.

Public Hearings — and how you can make your voice heard

The NYIRC then scheduled 14 additional public hearings around NYS (schedule here), including hearings for Nassau residents on November 22, 2021 at 4:00pm in the Nassau College Multi-Purpose Room (sign-up here before November 21 or email or write). Final maps are to be submitted by the Commission to the NYS Legislature in January 2022, at which time the Legislature will have final control over accepting, rejecting, and/or redrawing district lines.

NYS & Local maps — current and proposed

All of NYS here (interactive, you can enlarge to get street names) Additional local maps: under construction

NY State League initiatives — videos and education

Our State League has provided a wealth of training, tools, and education over the past year, available at LWVNY.org Redistricting — including

How to use People-Powered FairMaps
Best Practices on testifying at public hearings (handouts here, p.2 ff) and more here
Explaining the NY process for redistricting and also here
Illustration of how various communities of interest are currently divided: Asian, Latinx,

The League has also joined with non-partisan coalition partners to make recommendations

In September State League urged the NYIRC to greater transparency and accountability around proposed maps
In August the LWV NY urged the NYIRC to share meeting transcripts and written testimony
In the late winter and spring, LWV NY wrote the legislature about fully funding the NYIRC and opposing a new amendment to the NYS Constitution that would remove non-partisan safeguards to the redistricting process

Virtual Training on Analyzing Draft Legislative Maps & Writing Compelling Testimony

See recording from Oct 13^th here

LWV NY virtual training on analyzing proposed NYS legislative maps and writing compelling testimony for the upcoming Independent Redistricting Commission Hearings.

LWV NY and LWV US Positions on Apportionment — taken from Issues to Impact

LWV NY PDF — attached to email LWV US PDF — attached to email

Why is NYS redistricting?

According to federal law, redistricting (the redrawing of election district maps) must take place every ten years as a result of new census data.

First, new districts must be drawn when a state gains or loses congressional districts as a result of the apportionment of congressional districts among the states.
Second, even if the number of districts does not change within a state, governments must redraw state and local districts so that the districts have equal populations.

A 2014 NYS constitutional amendment created an independent redistricting commission to draw state and federal election districts within the state. The amendment required that the commission “shall represent the diversity of residents of the state with regard to: race, ethnicity, gender, language and geographic reference.” Gerrymandering is often thought of as separating voters by their party registration, but more often divides the influence of “communities of interest,” to dilute the political influence of groups that share affinities based on demographics or common interests. To learn more about what the League’s positions on redistricting, gerrymandering and more, please visit nyredistricting.org for videos and other resources.

Find out more

For a broader overview, please visit the national League site on redistricting. To join the League, please click on the button at the upper right. To get in touch with a PWM redistricting team member, email President@LWVofPWM.org and put “Redistricting” in the Subject line.