New York Court Strikes Down Unconstitutional Congressional Map
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A New York State Supreme Court Justice today ruled that the boundaries of New York's 11th Congressional District unconstitutionally dilute the voting strength of Black and Latino residents, ordering the state's Independent Redistricting Commission to redraw the district by February 6, 2026.
The ruling comes in Williams v. Board of Elections of the State of New York, a lawsuit filed by Elias Law Group attorneys on behalf of four New York voters who challenged the configuration of CD-11, which encompasses all of Staten Island and portions of southern Brooklyn. Following a four-day trial held earlier this month, Justice Jeffrey H. Pearlman found that the district's boundaries violate the New York State Constitution, which prohibits the denial or abridgement of racial or language minority voting rights.
"Today's decision is a victory for every voter in New York’s 11th Congressional District who has been denied an equal voice," said Elias Law Group Partner Aria Branch. "We are pleased that the court correctly recognized that the current district lines have systematically diluted the votes of Black and Latino Staten Islanders, despite decades of demographic growth in those communities. This ruling reaffirms that New York's Constitution provides robust protections against racial vote dilution, and we are proud to have stood with our clients to vindicate those rights."
“Based on the facts presented by the expert witness reports and on the record, it is clear to the Court that the current district lines of CD-11 are a contributing factor in the lack of representation for minority voters,” Justice Pearlman wrote.
The court ordered New York’s Independent Redistricting Commission to complete new congressional lines by February 6, 2026, and enjoined the state from conducting any further elections under the current map.
Elias Law Group was proud to work alongside Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel LLP in this important case.
Click HERE to read the full order.
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