Dems aim to change NYS Constitution, gain power to carve up congressional maps

ALBANY – Democratic lawmakers are looking to change the state constitution in a power grab that will allow them to carve up congressional maps — and target seven Republican-held seats.A proposed amendment released Monday by the Democratic majority would give its own members authority to change the maps to draw new congressional district lines favorable to their candidates, with insiders saying it could mean flipping at least four GOP congressional seats in the state.Democrats, who control both houses of the state legislature and hold a more than 2-to-1 voter enrollment advantage over Republicans, would need voters to approve the measure on their November 2027 election ballots.“They’re trying to eliminate dissent and cement one-party rule in this state,” former US Rep.John Faso, New York Republicans’ redistricting czar, told The Post Tuesday.The latest move would remove language establishing a ban on gerrymandering in the state and would also allow the map to be changed mid-decade, despite US House lines usually being crafted based on the latest census.The amendment would also:While the state legislature plans to pass the bill this week, setting up a process where they have to pass it again next year in order to put it on the ballot next November, it’s unclear whether Democrats will be able to rally the support to approve the ballot measure.“I think the voters are going to very skeptical of it,” pointing out that New Yorkers approved the amendment to set up the current process in 2014 with 58% of the vote, and rejected subsequent efforts to change it.But US House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Gov.

Kathy Hochul and other top Dems are confident that New York voters, 48% of which are registered Democrats, will back the move as they position the amendment as a reaction against President Trump and redistricting pushes in red states.Former Democratic Gov.David Paterson told The Post Tuesday he thinks the ballot measure will succeed and that a ...