A push by Democrats to redraw the lines of a New York City congressional district cleared a major hurdle on Wednesday, when a Manhattan judge ruled that the district disenfranchises Black and Latino voters.
Justice Jeffrey Pearlman of State Supreme Court concluded that the 11th Congressional District, which includes Staten Island and parts of South Brooklyn, had a continuing pattern of “discrimination against minority voters.”
He chose not to adopt new lines proposed by the Democratic plaintiff’s lawyers that would have pushed a substantial slice of Lower Manhattan into the district, and would have made it harder for Republicans to defend their only House seat in New York City.
The district has been represented by Nicole Malliotakis since 2021.
Instead, Justice Pearlman, a Democrat, directed the state to reconvene its Independent Redistricting Commission to redraw the district maps by Feb. 6.
“Petitioners have also shown through testimony and empirical data that the history of discrimination against minority voters in CD-11 still impacts those communities,” Justice Pearlman wrote, adding later that it was “clear to the court that the current district lines of CD-11 are a contributing factor in the lack of representation for minority voters.”
The suit is the latest in an escalating battle between partisans across the country, evolving from President Trump’s explicit calls for leaders in Texas, North Carolina and Missouri to gerrymander districts to preserve Republican control of Congress.
New York’s case, which was filed by Elias Law Group, a Washington-based firm that has handled much of the Democratic Party’s redistricting litigation, had been seen by many as having little chance of prevailing. The decision, which came after a trial in New York City earlier this month, is likely to be appealed.
It’s unclear how the independent commission will render the district’s boundaries, and whether its map will resemble the alternative one proposed during the trial. That map would have connected Staten Island to large portions of Lower Manhattan, currently represented by Representative Daniel Goldman.
If this were to happen, Mr. Goldman, who is facing a primary challenge from Brad Lander, the former city comptroller, could slide over and run instead in a newly redrawn 11th District against Representative Malliotakis.
“We are reviewing the judge’s decision and our options to protect the voices of the people of Staten Island and Brooklyn,” Ms. Malliotakis, who filed a motion in the lawsuit, said in a statement. “Nothing changes the fact that this is a frivolous attempt by Washington Democrats to steal this congressional seat from the people, and we are very confident that we will prevail at the end of the day.”
Mr. Goldman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Grace Ashford covers New York government and politics for The Times.
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