A New York state judge threw out the state’s congressional map Thursday, ruling that Democrats who control the state legislature cannot ignore a 2014 constitutional amendment creating a commission to create nonbiased maps.
That commission, known as the Independent Redistricting Commission, did not submit a second map proposal after its first failed to gain enough support. The Democratic-controlled legislature then passed its own maps.
“The legislature is not free to ignore the IRC maps and develop their own,” acting Supreme Court Justice Patrick McAllister wrote in an 18-page ruling.
