JOINT STATEMENT FROM LEADER JEFFRIES, RANKING MEMBER MORELLE ON NEW YORK REDISTRICTING

May 4, 2026

Today, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Committee on House Administration Ranking Member Joe Morelle released a statement announcing a redistricting initiative, the New York Democracy Project.

“House Republicans have failed and the American people know it,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries. “That is why GOP extremists have concluded the only way to win in November is to rig the national congressional map, beginning with Texas. Democrats fought back. We have thwarted Donald Trump’s desperate scheme through Prop 50 in California, a referendum in Virginia, regaining a seat in Utah, pushing the extremists back in Ohio and stopping Republicans in Indiana, New Hampshire, Kansas and Nebraska.”

Leader Jeffries added: “While far-right extremists on the Supreme Court have twice recklessly cleared the path for partisan gerrymandering, Democrats refuse to unilaterally disarm. Today, I have asked Ranking Member Morelle, the former Majority Leader in the New York State Assembly, to travel to Albany to meet with State leaders tomorrow on redrawing New York’s congressional districts for the balance of the decade in response to the Callais decision and the recent action in Florida.”

“This is just the beginning. Across the nation, we will sue, we will redraw and we will win. House Democrats will not allow a MAGA majority to be built on rigged maps and the dilution of Black voting strength. Ultimately, this will end poorly for Republican extremists. It’s the American people who get to decide who wins the majority in Congress, not Donald Trump."

“The Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Act ruling is the latest civil rights and democratic disaster,” said Ranking Member Joe Morelle. “As Donald Trump and his Republican allies intensify extreme partisan redistricting efforts, I am proud to be entrusted by Leader Jeffries to work with partners in New York to explore every option to protect voters in 2026, 2028, and beyond. We will not allow these efforts to silence communities or undermine fair representation. We will fight, we will win, and we will protect the voters’ voice.”

BACKGROUND

The Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais represents a further escalation in the Court’s narrowing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and arrives as Republican-led states move aggressively to redraw congressional maps ahead of the 2026 elections. In states including Louisiana and Florida, recent and ongoing map-drawing efforts have underscored how these legal shifts are being used to advance partisan advantage, including through the reduction or reconfiguration of majority-Black districts. These developments, aligned with broader Republican redistricting strategies and backed by allies of President Trump, have raised significant concerns about the erosion of fair representation just as the 2026 cycle begins to take shape.

In response, Leader Hakeem Jeffries is working with partners across the nation to assess all lawful options to protect voters and ensure that representation remains responsive to communities rather than engineered political outcomes.

As a part of the Leader’s efforts, Ranking Member Joe Morelle will meet with Governor Kathy Hochul, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Deputy Majority Leader Michael Gianaris to discuss a cohesive state response. Ranking Member Morelle will encourage New York leaders to consider:

A legal and constitutional review of New York’s strongest tools to protect voting rights.
A 2027 state constitutional change, potentially in line with Sen. Gianaris’ proposed bill, if determined to be the strongest path.
State-level safeguards against voter suppression and discriminatory election rules.
Strong protections for election workers, local election officials and election infrastructure.
Public education and rapid response to misinformation and voter intimidation.
Coordination with national democracy, civil rights and legal organizations on additional safeguards.

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