GOP Asks Supreme Court to Redraw New York Congressional Map

A Republican member of Congress, along with a group of voters and New York election officials, has petitioned the Supreme Court to allow New York to proceed with the 2026 elections using its current congressional map. This action follows a state court order that prohibited the state from using the existing map and mandated a redrawing of the boundaries.

The dispute centers on New York’s 11th Congressional District, which encompasses parts of Staten Island and southern Brooklyn.

Background of the Lawsuit

A group of voters initiated legal action in state court in October 2025, alleging that the district’s boundaries violated New York’s constitution by diluting the voting power of Black and Latino residents, who comprise approximately 30% of the population of Staten Island. The voters argued that the current map did not provide Black and Latino residents with an equal opportunity to elect a representative of their choice.

State Court Ruling and Subsequent Actions

On January 21, 2026, Justice Jeffrey Pearlman of the New York State Supreme Court agreed with the voters’ assessment, finding that the current map diluted minority votes. He prohibited the state from using the map in upcoming elections and instructed the state’s independent redistricting commission to create a new map by February 6.

Republican lawmakers, Representative Nicole Malliotakis and Peter Kosinski, a Republican co-chair of the state’s board of elections, sought to pause Pearlman’s ruling through two state appeals courts. The New York Court of Appeals declined to hear the case, and the intermediate appellate court has yet to rule. State law automatically placed a hold on the portion of Pearlman’s order directing the creation of a new map.

Supreme Court Petition

Malliotakis and Kosinski subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court, requesting intervention. Malliotakis argued that Pearlman’s decision would force New York to engage in an unconstitutional racial gerrymander. Kosinski expressed concern that the state court’s decision would create chaos and uncertainty in the upcoming elections, potentially preventing the timely completion of a new map. He also argued that Pearlman adopted a new standard for vote dilution claims that was not presented by the original litigants.

Support from the Trump Administration

The Trump administration filed a “friend of the court” brief supporting the requests to block the trial court’s ruling. U.S. Solicitor General D. John Sauer asserted that the case presented an “open and unabashed racial gerrymander,” violating the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution.

Next Steps

The Supreme Court has directed the voters challenging the current map to respond to the requests by Malliotakis and Kosinski by Thursday, February 19, at 4 p.m. EST.