by Jeff Wice & Alexis Marking
N.Y. VOTING RIGHTS ACT LITIGATION
Erie County: Young v. Town of Cheektowaga
In March, one-time Town Board candidate Kenneth Young filed a lawsuit against the Town of Cheektowaga, alleging racially polarized voting and violations of the New York Voting Rights Act (NYVRA) in the Cheektowaga Town Board elections. Young claims that minority voters cannot elect candidates of their choice under the town’s current at-large voting method and … <Read More>
By Jeff Wice with Ahmed Hussein, Jordan Karpoff & Alexis Marking
REDISTRICTING & VOTING RIGHTS ACT LITIGATION
Orange County:Clarke et al. v. Town of Newburgh
In January, three Black and three Hispanic residents of Newburgh filed this lawsuit, claiming the town’s at-large election system for Town Board elections has prevented Black and Hispanic residents from electing candidates of their choice, thus violating the N.Y. Voting Rights Act.
by Jeff Wice & Alexis Marking
REDISTRICTING
Orange County Legislature Inches Forward With New Map
In what may be the final county legislative redistricting process in the state, the Orange County Legislature has approved one map to move forward to a public comment period before a public hearing is scheduled on Tuesday, August 27th at 5:00 PM. After disagreeing for weeks on how to proceed, the legislature’s Rules Committee broke a logjam … <Read More>
By Jeff Wice and Alexis Marking
EARLY VOTING
N.Y.S. Court of Appeals to Hear Early Voting Challenge Appeal Tomorrow
The state’s highest court will hear arguments tomorrow at 11:00 AM in Stefanik v. Hochul, an appeal challenging the state’s new law permitting voters to mail-in their ballots during the early voting periods. You can watch the oral arguments here: https://www.nycourts.gov/ctapps/live.html
BALLOT PROPOSALS
Equal Rights Amendment Back on New York’s November Ballot
On Tuesday, … <Read More>
By Jeff Wice and Alexis Marking
VOTING RIGHTS
Attorney General To Intervene in Cheektowaga Voting Rights Act Challenge
New York State Attorney General Letitia James has informed the Erie County State Supreme Court that her office will intervene in the state voting rights act challenge filed against the Town of Cheektowaga over town board vote dilution. In that case, the town is challenging the constitutionality of the New York … <Read More>
TOMORROW IS PRIMARY DAY. DON’T FORGET TO VOTE IF YOU HAVE COMPETITIVE CONGRESSIONAL OR STATE LEGISLATIVE CONTESTS WHERE YOU LIVE.
State Commission Meets to Approve New Budget
The Independent Redistricting Commission met in Albany on June 20 to adopt a new budget and to let the public know that they would be busy at work preparing a report to send to the state legislature by end the of the year. The meeting, which lasted less … <Read More>