Election board blasts gop redistricting map

Jessica Ablamsky

The Nassau County Board of Elections is unable to implement new election district lines due to errors in the redistricting map approved by the county Legislature May 24, Board of Elections Commissioner William Biamonte said this week.

“We’ve done all we could so far,” Biamonte said. “The description of the map is not accurate.”

With the June 7 petitioning kickoff for candidates already passed, he said the map must be described with accurate metes and bounds for another vote before the Legislature.

“They must research where the mistakes are,” he said.

The original redistricting proposal was presented to the public April 26, after Nassau Countyy Presiding Officer Peter Schmitt (R-Massapequa) asked Nassau County Attorney John Ciampoli in mid-April to render an opinion on redistricting requirements. He received it the same day.

At a public hearing on May 9, hundreds of people spoke out against the proposed map, some of them self-professed Republicans. It was vigorously opposed by black residents and a majority of Great Neck village mayors.

Democrats have accused Republicans of drawing electoral lines before Ciampoli rendered his opinion.

In a memo dated June 13 from Biamonte to Schmitt and Minority Leader Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove), he said of the new District 10 “This description is hopelessly muddled and clearly erroneous.”

The entire Great Neck peninsula is currently represented by Judi Bosworth (D-Great Neck) in District 10.

The district would leave out the Great Neck village of Lake Success and split the unincorporated hamlet of University Gardens, according to the Republican plan that is being opposed in court by Nassau County Democrats.

Nassau County Legislator Wayne Wink (D-Roslyn) would find a new District 11 that includes the Great Neck Village of Lake Success, part of the hamlet of University Gardens, along with North New Hyde Park, Manhasset Hills, North Hills, and most of Roslyn.

Democrats suggested new lines are an attempt by Republicans to obtain a super majority after the November election.

The Nassau County Legislature is currently split 11-eight in favor of Republicans. Bills need 13 votes to pass.

The new electoral map reduces the number of incumbent Democratic districts from eight to six by merging districts represented by Nassau County legislators Dave Denenberg (D-Merrick) and Joseph Scannell (D-Baldwin), that of Yatauro, who has said she is not seeking re-election, and Nassau County Legislator Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury).

Republican leaders have maintained 2010 census data requires an immediate response due to population growth that left minority voters underrepresented. To create a new minority district, the new map would split existing minority communities.

According to Republicans, the county charter sets up a three-step redistricting process, with immediate redistricting after each census in time for the next election. A bipartisan commission would then amend district boundaries in March 2012, as mandated by the county charter.

Democrats have said the county charter required districts be described based on census data and later drawn by a bipartisan commission, after extensive public input.

 

 

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