Common Cause/NY Urges Onondaga County Legislature to Draw Fair Legislative Maps Following Court Ruling

NEW YORK, NY (09/24/2024) (readMedia)-- Recently, the New York State Supreme Court ruled that the Onondaga County Legislature's legislative maps violate state law and must be redrawn ahead of the 2025 election. In response, Common Cause New York Executive Director Susan Lerner issued the following statement praising the Court's decision and urging the Legislature to deliver on its commitment to fair, reasonable maps.

"The Court's decision to order new Onondaga County district maps is a win for voters, who deserve fair maps drawn to center voters - not the people in power," said Susan Lerner, Executive Director of Common Cause/NY. "County legislators have previously pledged to draw fair district maps that put voters over politicians and now they have yet another opportunity to do so. We urge them to finally make good on their commitment to draw fair maps and urge the County to follow the lead of Syracuse by creating an independent commission to ensure politics no longer controls the redistricting process."

In 2019, voters in Syracuse overwhelmingly passed the creation of an independent redistricting commission, though a similar vote to create an independent redistricting commission for all county maps was rejected by Onondaga County lawmakers in 2020. Onondaga County legislators have previously pledged to engage in a fair, bipartisan redistricting process.