Redistricting commission deadlocks on new maps, Dem predicts litigation

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Redistricting commission deadlocks on new maps, Dem predicts litigation
Nassau County Temporary Districting Advisory Commission Chairman Frank Moroney (left) and Democratic appointee David Mejias (right). (Photos by Robert Pelaez)

By ROBERT PELAEZ AND STEVEN KEEHNER

The Nassau County Temporary Districting Advisory Commission voted along party lines for a pair of resolutions to submit maps to the county’s Republican-controlled legislature  Monday night, prompting Democratic officials to say they anticipate litigation to be filed.

The 11-member committee made up of five Democrats, five Republicans and one nonvoting chairman, voted along party lines, 5-5, for each of their submissions.

The Republicans, who presented a revised map that moved Stewart Manor into the 8th Legislative District right before the meeting started, all voted in favor of their submission, while all the Democrats opposed it. The Democrats, who had a pair of maps they wanted to present to the Legislature, all voted in favor of their motion to do so, while all Republicans opposed it.

The county Legislature, comprised of 12 Republican officials and seven Democrats, will now be in charge of reviewing all of the maps, public input and materials obtained by the commission and drawing their own district lines.

“The only thing that happened here is that the Republicans of Nassau County have guaranteed litigation over an illegal map,” Democratic committee member David Mejias said following the vote. “If and when they lose, it’s going to cost the taxpayers millions of dollars.”

Chairman Frank X. Moroney said Mejias’ prediction of litigation was something he had heard from the start of the redistricting process. Moroney said Republican officials asked the Democratic commission to work across the aisle, saying the Democrats “did not want to do that.”

“If we litigate it, we litigate it,” Moroney said about the maps. “It’s unfortunate.”

The map was last redrawn in 2013. Democratic officials have chastised Republicans for their lack of transparency in developing the 2023 map. They contend that the Republican proposal allows officials to select their representatives rather than the public.

“Our proposal eliminates partisan gerrymandering, complies fully with state and federal laws and enhances equity by ensuring there are five minority-majority districts where Black and Latino residents have the ability to elect the candidates of their choice,” Mejias said.

Republicans have defended their proposed map. They argue it is too late for Democrats to question the legality of the 2013 map, on which their proposal is based.

“You’re way over the line and you know it,” Moroney told his Democratic colleagues during a work session. “You just don’t care because you want to sue us so bad that you’ll say anything to do it. And that’s what’s going on here. Leave [our mapmaker] alone.”

New district lines are required to be adopted by the county legislature in March, officials said.

Currently, there are three proposals: one Republican and two Democratic versions. The Republican proposal closely resembles the current map.

District 9 currently includes Albertson, East Williston, Garden City Park, Mineola, Munsey Park, New Hyde Park, Plandome, Plandome Heights, Plandome Manor, Roslyn Estates and Williston Park. It would remain the same under the Republican suggestion.

District 10 currently includes Kings Point, Great Neck, Lake Success, Herricks, Manhasset, Manhasset Hills, North Hills and Searington. It would remain the same under the Republican suggestion.

District 11 currently includes Glen Cove, Glen Head, Glenwood, Port Washington, Roslyn, Roslyn Harbor, Sands Point and Sea Cliff. It would remain the same under the Republican proposal.

District 18 currently includes Bayville, East Hills, East Norwich, Glen Cove, Glen Head, Greenvale, Jericho, Locust Valley, Mill Neck, Muttontown, Old Westbury, Roslyn Heights, Syosset and Woodbury. It would remain the same under the Republican proposal.

However, some of the largest differences between the current map and the Republican map can be found in three districts – 2, 8 and 14.

District 2 currently includes Hempstead, Hicksville, Lakeview, Malverne, New Cassel, Rockville Centre, Uniondale, West Hempstead and Westbury. This would change to New Cassel, a portion of East Meadow, Uniondale, Hempstead, West Hempstead and Garden City South.

District 8 currently includes Bellerose, Bellerose Terrace, Elmont, Floral Park, Franklin Square, New Hyde Park, Stewart Manor and West Hempstead. This would change to Floral Park, Malverne Park Oaks, Franklin Square, Stewart Manor, Bellerose and Bellerose Terrace.

District 14 currently includes Carle Place, Garden City, Garden City South and portions of Bethpage, Franklin Square, Hempstead, Hicksville, Jericho, Plainview, West Hempstead and Westbury.

The two Democratic proposals are very similar, but there are some key differences.

District 9 would cover Sands Point, Port Washington North, Manorhaven, Baxter Estates, Port Washington, Plandome Manor, Flower Hill, Munsey Park, Roslyn Estates, Manhasset, Thomaston, Kensington, Great Neck Gardens, Great Neck and Kings Point under the first proposal.

Under the second, it would include Kings Point, Great Neck, Great Neck Gardens, Kensington, Manhasset, Plandome Heights, Plandome, Plandome Manor, Port Washington, Baxter Estates, Manorhaven, Sands Point, Roslyn Harbor, Roslyn (Village), Roslyn Estates, Munsey Park, Flower Hill and Thomaston.

District 7 would cover Glen Cove, Sea Cliff, Glenwood Landing, Glen Head, Old Brookville, Upper Brookville, Matinecock, Locust Valley, Lattingtown, Bayville, Mill Neck, Centre Island, Oyster Bay (Hamlet), Oyster Bay Cove, Cove Neck and Laurel Hollow under the first proposal.

Under the second, it would include Roslyn (Village), Roslyn Harbor, Greenvale, Glenwood Landing, Old Brookville, Glen Head, Sea Cliff, Lattingtown, Matinecock, Locust Valley, Upper Brookville, Oyster Bay (Hamlet), Mill Neck, Bayville and Centre Island.

District 6 would cover Saddle Rock, Harbor Hills, Saddle Rock Estates, Great Neck Estates, Great Neck Plaza, Russell Gardens, University Gardens, Lake Success, North Hills, Searingtown, Manhasset Hills, Herricks, North New Hyde Park, New Hyde Park and Garden City Park under the first proposal.

Under the second, it would cover Saddle Rock, Harbor Hills, Great Neck Plaza, Russell Gardens, University Gardens, Lake Success, North Hills, Searingtown, Manhasset Hills, Herricks, North New Hyde Park, Garden City Park and New Hyde Park.

District 2 would cover Westbury, New Cassel, most of Salisbury, Uniondale and a portion of East Meadow. Under the second, it would cover Westbury, New Cassel, Salisbury, Uniondale and portion of East Meadow

District 12 would cover Mineola, Carle Place, Williston Park, East Williston, Albertson, Roslyn Heights, East Hills, Old Westbury, Brookville, Muttontown, Oyster Bay Cove, Cove Neck, Laurel Hollow and parts of Jericho.

Under the second, it would cover Searingtown, Albertson, Williston Park, Mineola, Carle Place, East Williston, Roslyn Heights, East Hills, Greenvale, Old Westbury, Brookville, Muttontown, East Norwich and part of Jericho.

District 11 would cover Bellerose Terrace, Bellerose, Floral Park, Stewart Manor, most of Franklin Square, Garden City South and Garden City. Under the second, it would cover Bellerose Terrace, Floral Park, South Floral Park, Garden City South, Garden City and a portion of Elmont and Franklin Square.

The Republican proposal divides communities like the Village of Hempstead into two districts, whereas the Democratic proposal it would be one district.

In addition, East Meadow, Freeport, Hicksville and the Five Towns would be divided into four, four, four and three districts, respectively. Democrats would divide those areas into one, two, two and two districts, respectively.

The Roslyn area of North Hempstead, which is and would be four districts under the Republican map, is reduced to three districts under the Democrats’ proposal.

Registered Democrats currently outnumber registered Republicans in Nassau by 100,000 – 420,000 to 320,000 with 277,000 blanks (no party affiliation).

As detailed in the 2020 U.S. Census, an influx of minority populations reflects Nassau County’s growing diversity.

The county’s total population increased by over 56,000 people, or 4.2%, over the last decade. According to the data, it is less than 5,000 people short of reaching 1.4 million.

Additional reporting provided by Brandon Duffy

 

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