Citizens Redistricting Committee

The maps proposed by a U.S. Magistrate Roanne Mann are getting the thumbs up from Common Cause’s Susan Lerner who had advocated a court take charge of the process.

“Common Cause/NY is pleased to see that the Special Master included many of our suggestions to accomplish in days what the Legislature could not do in months: produce a fair map which prioritizes communities of interest and reflects the regional make-up of New York State…”

Read More: http://www.capitaltonight.com/2012/03/common-cause-gives-thumbs-up-to-maps/

Part of the still-under-wraps constitutional amendment that would change New York’s redistricting process would require the lines be approved by a supermajority should both houses of the Legislature be controlled by one party.

If so, the move appears to be aimed at helping Senate Republicans protect vulnerable incumbents should the conference fall out of power. Needless to say, this isn’t sitting well with Senate Democrats, the only minority conference in state government with a shot of taking over their chamber in the forseeable future.

Read More: http://www.capitaltonight.com/2012/03/gianaris-on-the-craziest-thing-ive-ever-heard/

Along with Senate Republicans, Assembly Democrats and Assembly Republicans, Common Cause submitted a map for new Congressional lines to the special master in the redistricting case. They are holding out hope for fair lines.

Read More: http://www.capitaltonight.com/2012/03/lerner-talks-proposed-congressional-maps/

For all its criticism of the LATFOR Assembly and Senate redistricting maps released yesterday, Common Cause New York isn’t quite ready to go the legal route – yet.

ICYMI: Common Cause Executive Director Susan Lerner shared the organization’s initial reaction to the Legislature’s plan during a CapTon interview last night.

And while she had pretty much nothing good to say, she was reluctant to commit to a legal challenge at this time.

Read More: http://www.capitaltonight.com/2012/01/common-cause-keeps-latfor-lawsuit-powder-dry/

Good government groups actively pushed for a change to the redistricting process so that the lines were drawn by an independent commission. Common Cause Executive Director Susan Lerner says the lines drawn by LATFOR show how partisan the process currently is.

Watch Video here: http://www.capitaltonight.com/2012/01/lerner-criticizes-proposed-district-lines/

We’ll be getting the new proposed state legislative boundaries Wednesday morning soon after lawmakers have the redrawn maps email blasted out to them, Assemblyman Jack McEneny said this afternoon.

“We’ll send it to the members via email and then we’ll post it on the LATFOR website,” said McEneny, the Assembly co-chair on the lawmaker-driven panel. “I assume the Senate will do something similar.”

McEneny said he had not seen where the 63rd Senate seat will be drawn, but it is expected to be carved out of multiple existing districts in the Capital Region.

Read More: http://www.capitaltonight.com/2012/01/new-lines-coming-wednesday-morning/

Common Cause says a 63rd Senate seat is a terrible idea, but if it has be done, at least put the new district somewhere in the five boroughs of New York City.

“Putting an additional Senate district anywhere but in New York City systematically distorts the regional balance of the state and constitutes an automatic gerrymander. It would perpetuate an objectionable practice of diluting NYC voting power and under-populating upstate districts to politically advantage Senate Republicans,” said Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause/NY, in statement.

Senate Republicans say they have no choice but to push for a new Senate seat because New York’s population as a whole has grown over the last decade and point to some hotly debate Constitutional language.

Read More: http://www.capitaltonight.com/2012/01/common-cause-put-seat-63-in-nyc/

2012 is almost here – and potential candidates for Congress and the state legislature are already gearing up for campaigns. But, there’s one problem. The state legislature has yet to draft the district lines for the elections. In fact, they have not even released any lines for the public to view.

Monday, good government group Common Cause NY went ahead and put out their own lines – drawing what they felt would be fair Congressional and legislative districts after taking into account geography and ethnic diversity. And the final product they came up with is sure to turn some heads.

Common Cause NY Executive Director Susan Lerner joined Liz Monday to talk more about this.

Watch Video here: http://www.capitaltonight.com/2011/12/common-causes-pitch-for-district-lines/

As envisioned by the good-government advocates at Common Cause, New York fifth and ninth congressional districts would be folded into each other to form an Asian-influence seat in New York City, while western New York’s political terrain would be completely shuffled.

Read More: http://www.capitaltonight.com/2011/12/common-cause-has-some-ideas-for-latfor/