EAST MEADOW, N.Y. — Officials in Nassau County, New York, have consented to revise their electoral map following a legal challenge that alleged the existing political boundaries marginalized communities of color.
The settlement reached on Thursday mandates the formation of six voting districts where Black, Latino, and Asian residents will represent a majority of eligible voters.
In 2023, the county’s legislature, primarily controlled by Republicans, approved a map that only allowed residents of color to command a majority in four of its 19 districts.
The New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) and various organizations subsequently filed a lawsuit in state court, positing that the mapping diminished the electoral influence of minority residents, who account for over a third of eligible voters.
Their lawsuit contended that the political configuration, based on the census data from 2020, fractured minority communities or merged them with significantly different ones, hampering the election of officials who genuinely reflect the county’s diversity.
While white residents make up approximately 56% of the nearly 1.4 million individuals living in Nassau County, they hold about 80% of the seats in the local governing body.
“This map represents a significant advancement towards equity and fairness in our democratic processes,” remarked Lisa Ortiz, one of the plaintiffs, in a statement issued on Thursday.
After enduring years of having their votes and perspectives marginalized, she expressed satisfaction in finally securing an equal opportunity at the ballot box.
The revamped voting map is set to be implemented for the upcoming legislative elections in November and will persist until after the 2030 census, at which point the maps will be adjusted to reflect updated population data, as indicated by the NYCLU and other advocating groups.
The local Republican Party has reiterated its commitment to maintaining “fair and competitive” districts, asserting confidence in keeping its legislative majority.
Chairman Joseph Cairo of the Nassau County Republican Committee expressed that their electoral achievements demonstrate that their agenda resonates with the priorities of Nassau residents.
This lawsuit against Nassau County is part of at least four actions initiated under the state’s Voting Rights Act, a measure established in 2022 following a wave of voting restrictions enacted in various Republican-led states in the wake of the 2020 election.
