A New York appellate court made headlines on Thursday by overturning a previous ruling that had invalidated a voting rights law aimed at safeguarding the political representation of minority populations.
This decision from the Appellate Division of the state Supreme Court in New York City allows a lawsuit filed by six Black and Hispanic voters against the Town of Newburgh, situated in the Hudson Valley, to advance through the legal system.
Additionally, the appellate judges determined that the lower court judge had exceeded her authority when she annulled the entirety of New York’s Voting Rights Act of 2022 last November.
David Imamura, a lawyer representing the plaintiffs, expressed satisfaction with the ruling, stating, “We are pleased, though not surprised, that the Appellate panel upheld the constitutionality of the New York State John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act and allowed the Newburgh residents who have been shut out of their city’s at-large electoral system to seek a fair shot at choosing candidates to represent them.”
The central claim of the lawsuit contends that the “at-large” election system used to select town board members in a predominantly white community has disenfranchised Black and Hispanic voters, effectively diluting their vote.
The plaintiffs are advocating for a district election model where the town, located approximately 60 miles (95 kilometers) north of New York City, would elect board members from specific districts rather than at-large.
This civil litigation stems from New York’s Voting Rights Act, which provides a pathway for voters to contest at-large election systems on the basis of racial or ethnic discrimination.
Previously, state court Justice Maria Vazquez-Doles ruled that a section of the act was in violation of the equal protection clause within the 14th Amendment.
However, Justice Hector LaSalle, in the unanimous 4-0 decision from the appeals court, stated that the attorneys for Newburgh did not convincingly demonstrate that adhering to the vote dilution provisions of the law would necessitate violating the equal protection clause.
An inquiry was sent to an attorney representing Newburgh seeking additional comments on the ruling.
The lawsuit, initiated in March, is one of at least four that have emerged in accordance with New York’s Voting Rights Act.
New York State Attorney General Letitia James, whose team defended the law’s constitutionality, commended the appellate court’s decision.
“Our democracy thrives when all voters, regardless of their background, can make their voices heard at the ballot box,” remarked the Democrat in a statement, highlighting the significance of this ruling for the representation of underrepresented communities.
