Coalition of Civil and Voting Rights Organizations Condemns New York Redistricting Changes that Roll Back Protections for Minority Voters

Read a PDF of our statement here.

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New York, NY - LatinoJustice PRLDEF, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, The Center for Law and Social Justice at Medgar Evers College, and the Legal Defense Fund, long-time civil rights organizations who are members of the New York Voting Rights Consortium issued the following statement in response of the New York State Senate and Assembly passage of bill S10637, a constitutional amendment that would significantly expand legislative control over redistricting and eliminate key protections against gerrymandering amongst other changes.

Statement by New York Voting Rights Consortium:

"Our coalition has grave concerns about the New York State Legislature passage of a redistricting reform bill. This proposed constitutional amendment would strip critical civil rights protections from voters of color and make other unnecessary and sweeping changes to New York's redistricting framework, removing longstanding safeguards that ensure fair representation for all New Yorkers. At a time when attacks on voting rights and our multiracial democracy are accelerating across the country, New York should be strengthening protections against discrimination, not joining the U.S. Supreme Court in dismantling them.

"The proposal would replace the results test', a legal standard in force since 2014, that asks if a new voting map unfairly limits opportunities for voters of color to elect candidates of their choice, regardless of the legislature's intent. These changes would make it substantially more difficult for voters and communities to challenge maps that dilute the voting strength of Black, Latino, Asian American, Indigenous, and other historically marginalized communities. It is particularly troubling that these changes are being pushed by those who have traditionally supported protecting these communities.
"We are already seeing the disastrous results of the Supreme Court's abandonment of voting rights for Black and other communities in Louisiana, Tennessee, Florida, and Alabama. New York must not follow suit on removing protections for voters of color, let alone lead the way. This proposal needlessly results in a dismantling of critical statewide protections for voters of color. Our organizations remain committed to working alongside impacted communities to mobilize against these efforts to allow gerrymandering fervor to drive our elections. We continue to support constitutional and legislative protections for all voters in New York and across our country. We will make every effort to oppose discriminatory districting schemes and, and to continue to support constitutional and legislative protections for all voters in New York and across our country."

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About LatinoJustice

For over five decades, LatinoJustice PRLDEF has used and challenged laws to create a more just and equitable society. We transform harmful systems, empower our communities, fight for racial justice, and grow the next generation of líderes. To learn more, visit https://www.LatinoJustice.org

About the Legal Defense Fund
Founded in 1940, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) is the nation's first civil rights legal organization. LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957, though it was founded under the leadership of Thurgood Marshall while he was at the NAACP. LDF's Thurgood Marshall Institute (TMI) is a division of LDF that undertakes innovative research and houses LDF's archive. In all media attributions, please refer to us as the Legal Defense Fund or LDF (do not include NAACP) and refer to the Institute as LDF's Thurgood Marshall Institute or TMI.

About the Center for Law and Social Justice at Medgar Evers College
The Center for Law and Social Justice at Medgar Evers College envisions a civically educated and engaged electorate within marginalized communities that consistently builds political power to marshal the representation and resources necessary to thrive. For forty years, CLSJ has fought for justice by providing effective legal advocacy, conducting community education campaigns and by facilitating research and building organizing capacity on behalf of the disenfranchised.

About the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF)
AALDEF is a national civil rights organization founded in 1974 to protect and promote the rights of Asian Americans. AALDEF serves diverse Asian communities around the country in solidarity with each other, communities of color, and marginalized groups. Community lawyering is at the heart of AALDEF's work, which combines litigation, advocacy, education, and organizing to secure human rights for all people.