Scribd
Upload
2K views9 pages

Slides For CU Report - Rigged To Maintain Power

From Citizens Union

Uploaded by

Tony Meyer
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
2K views9 pages

Slides For CU Report - Rigged To Maintain Power

From Citizens Union

Uploaded by

Tony Meyer
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 9

Citizens Union Report Release October 8, 2014

REPORT: RIGGED TO MAINTAIN POWER


How NYSs Redistricting Protected Incumbents and Continued Majority Party Control

Speakers

Dick Dadey, Executive Director
Peggy Farber, Legislative Counsel
Rachael Fauss, Director of Public Policy

Richard Briffault, Citizens Union Board Member and Professor of Legislation,
Columbia Law School


Citizens Union Report Release October 8, 2014
THE 2012 GERRYMANDER MADE THINGS WORSE

The incumbent re-election rate for state legislators rose to a
staggering 97% from 94% in 2010.
The number of uncontested legislative elections increased from 23%
to 37%.
The average margin of victory widened sharply from 54% to 61%.
Only 10% (21 of the 213 contests) were competitive in 2012, with a
margin of 10 percent or less between the two leading candidates.


Citizens Union Report Release October 8, 2014
Competitive Scale Degree of Competition
Number of
Races
Percent of
Total
Category
Total
Competitive
Tight (< 5%) 10 4.69%
9.86%
Close (10-20%) 11 5.16%
Noncompetitive
Comfortable (10-20%) 21 9.86%
53.52%
Safe (20-40%) 42 19.72%
Landslide (40+%) 51 23.94%
Uncontested
No Major Party Opponent 22 10.33%
36.62%
Wholly Uncontested (100%) 56 26.29%
Total Races: 213 100.00% 100.00%
New York State 2012 General Elections for State Legislative Office
Citizens Union Report Release October 8, 2014
THE PARTIES IN POWER BENEFITTED FROM THE 2012 GERRYMANDER

Democrats in the Assembly gained 8 seats. Republicans held on to their majority.
Statewide, New Yorkers cast 65% of their votes for Assembly Democratic candidates
who ultimately won 71% of the seats.
They cast 44% of their votes for Senate Republicans who ultimately won 48% of the
seats
Distinct regions such as Rochester sent politically opposing delegations to the 2 houses
in Albany simply because of the way each house drew its lines.
News seats were created in each house, in different regions of the state:
The Assembly created a new district on Long Island in a heavily Democratic area,
combining two Republic districts upstate.
The Senate created a new district intended for a Republican in the capital district.


Citizens Union Report Release October 8, 2014
Rochester Assembly Districts, 2012
Rochester Senate Districts, 2012
AD 136 (Joseph
Morelle, Dem)
AD 137 (David
Gantt, Dem)
AD 138 (Harry
Bronson, Dem)
SD 55 (Ted
OBrien, Dem)
SD 56 (Joseph
Robach, Rep)
SD 61 (Michael
Ranzenhofer,
Rep)
Citizens Union Report Release October 8, 2014
THE MAJORITY PARTIES MAXIMIZED POWER BY PLAYING WITH THE NUMBERS

In the Assembly, districts with a Democratic Party enrollment advantage
are undersized by an average of 900 people. Assembly districts with a
Republican Party advantage are oversized by nearly 2,600 people.

Conversely, in the Senate, districts with a Democratic Party enrollment
advantage are oversized on average by 3,000 people. Senate districts
with a Republican Party advantage are undersized on average by more
than 11,000 people.





Citizens Union Report Release October 8, 2014
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT WAS A SHAM

LATFOR deprived the public of meaningful opportunities to participate in the
process. For example:

LATFOR had all the information it needed in
March 2011 to decide whether to add a district,
a highly controversial proposal.

But it allowed a season of 14 public hearings,
from June through November 2011, to elapse
without revealing that it had decided to create a
new district, only revealing the decision on
January 6, 2012 (Senate District 46 at right).
Citizens Union Report Release October 8, 2014
THE LEGISLATURE DOES NOT REFLECT THE DIVERSITY OF NEW YORK

By favoring incumbents, redistricting ensures that Albany is slow to
reflect demographic and cultural changes

In Queens, the most diverse county in the state, the 25-member
delegation has only 1 Asian American member and 3 Hispanic
members.
Citizens Union Report Release October 8, 2014
PROPOSAL 1 IS A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM

Proposal 1 strips the legislature of its unchecked power by:

Making it illegal to draw district lines for the purpose of favoring or
disfavoring an incumbent or party.
Establishing a politically balanced commission that excludes
legislators, lobbyists and other political figures, and that will not be
controlled by any one leader, house, or party.
Creating a genuinely open process requiring meaningful public
engagement.

You might also like