Today’s decision by the New York State Court of Appeals means that new U.S. House district boundaries must be drawn. The law requires statewide independent petitions, and petitions for the nominees of unqualified parties, to include 500 signatures from each of half the U.S. House districts. The statewide independent petition period has already started. But the groups circulating these petitions, including the Libertarian and Green Parties, can hardly proceed, when the U.S. District boundaries are non-existent.

Perhaps the legislature will temporarily suspend the distribution requirement.

This article does not mention the independent petition problem, but it does explain some of the other consequences of the decision.

On April 22, a Republican candidate for U.S. House in Missouri filed a federal lawsuit, complaining that the legislature has still not passed any U.S. House redistricting bill. Berry v Ashcroft, e.d., 4:22cv-465. Here is the Complaint.

Missouri is the only state in which the legislature hasn’t yet passed a bill for U.S. House redistricting (except, obviously, the states that only have one seat).

On April 27, New York’s highest state court, the Court of Appeals, issued an opinion in Harkenrider v Hochul, the lawsuit over the state’s new U.S. House districts. By a vote of 4-3, the Court agreed with the lower courts, and said the new plan violates the state constitution because it is a partisan gerrymander. Thanks to ElectionLawBlog for the link.

The Court will appoint a special master to quickly draw new districts.