A judge has ruled that the boundaries of one of New York\u2019s Congressional districts is unconstitutional, throwing a wrench into the 2026 midterm elections.<\/p>\n
Supreme Court Judge Jeffrey Pearlman of Manhattan issued a ruling Wednesday that says the boundaries of New York\u2019s 11th District \u2014 which currently covers Staten Island and a small part of Brooklyn \u2014 was drawn unlawfully and needs to be redone.<\/p>\n
He ordered that a special Independent Redistricting Commission convene to complete a new map by Feb. 6, just over two weeks from now. Before becoming a judge, Pearlman has worked for<\/a> major New York Democrats including Gov. Kathy Hochul and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins.<\/p>\n The 11th Congressional District is currently represented by Republican Nicole Malliotakis, but a redrawn district could include more blue parts of the city, upsetting what is now a fairly safe seat for the GOP.\u00a0<\/p>\n Before the most recent independent redistricting effort in 2022, the 11th included large swaths of left-leaning parts of Brooklyn and was considered a swing district. In 2019-2021, Democrat Max Rose represented the area.<\/p>\n