A New York Appellate Court has ruled that the state’s independent redistricting commission must draw up a new congressional map, after a court struck down* the state’s current 11th Congressional District for diluting the voting power of Black and Latino residents.
In a decision Thursday, the court rejected Republicans’ request to pause the lower court’s ruling that the current map was illegal while their appeal is heard in court.
In practice, this means that New York will get a new map that would likely give Democrats an additional seat in Congress.
The ruling is a win for Democrats who are trying to counteract President Donald Trump’s push for Republicans to gerrymander their way to a victory in the 2026 midterms. But there’s still one wildcard in play: the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS).
Earlier this month, U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) and the New York State Board of Elections asked SCOTUS to freeze the decision on District 11.
Voters and the state of New York filed responses today opposing that request, saying the Supreme Court shouldn’t step in yet because the state courts haven’t even had a chance to interpret the state constitution’s vote dilution provisions.
*The plaintiffs in the case were represented by the Elias Law Group (ELG). ELG firm chair Marc Elias is the founder of Democracy Docket.