Case Summary

On March 5, 2021, an appointed member of New York’s Independent Redistricting Commission and another New York resident filed a lawsuit against New York’s Governor Andrew Cuomo, the New York General Assembly, and other elected state officials, alleging unconstitutional interference with the Redistricting Commission’s operations. The plaintiffs’ claims center around the state government’s failure to adequately fund and support the Commission’s operations, the funding of which is mandated by the state constitutional provision establishing the Commission. The plaintiffs assert that the state has failed to sufficiently release funds that were already appropriated to it in prior year’s budgets and has failed to appropriate additional funds for the Commission’s expenses and activities through 2021, actions which they claim are intended to undermine the Commission’s constitutional role in the redistricting process. The plaintiffs seek a declaratory judgment that the state officials’ conduct violates the state constitution and a court order compelling the state officials to take all necessary steps to release the Commission’s appropriated funds so as to enable it to perform its constitutional duties.

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Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of Albany - 902098-21

• Verified Petition - 3/5/21