Sunday, February 16, 2025
The Nassau County Democratic Committee is celebrating a landmark victory following the settlement of a lawsuit challenging the Nassau County Legislature’s redistricting map.
The settlement is said to ensure fairer district lines, restores the voting strength of underrepresented communities, and upholds the principles of democracy in Nassau County for the next decade, according to county Democrats.
The lawsuit, led by New York state and Nassau County Democratic Committee Chairman Jay S. Jacobs and the late Hazel “Scottie” Coads, NAACP chair of Civic Engagement in New York, challenged the Republican-controlled Legislature’s 2023 map for illegally gerrymandering districts. The map had diluted the voting power of minority communities.
Under the terms of the settlement:
“This is a tremendous victory for Nassau County,” Jacobs said in a news release. “The illegal map sought to disenfranchise communities of color and undermine our democratic principles. This settlement reinforces the fundamental rights of all voters and sends a clear message that such tactics will not be tolerated.”
Coads, a lead plaintiff and a person who was considered tireless advocate for underrepresented communities, died before the resolution of this case. The settlement stands as a testament to her unwavering dedication to civic engagement and fair representation.
“This allows minority communities the opportunity to elect candidates of our choice and ensures our voices are no longer diluted,” Stephanie Chase, a plaintiff who testified during the trial, said in the release. “This is a victory for all communities seeking fair representation.”
Lead counsel Dave Mejias, who also served as chairman of the Temporary Districting Advisory Commission, emphasized the broader implications of the settlement.
“The Republicans tried to rig legislative elections with a politically gerrymandered map,” he said in the release. “Chairman Jacobs took bold action to fight this injustice, and today’s settlement guarantees fair elections for the next decade.”
