In recent weeks, the city of Plattsburgh has been considering adjusting its election districts. Although the proposal was removed from consideration, common councilors brought it up for discussion during their latest meeting.
The Common Council had held a work session in late January to review proposed new ward boundaries in the city. During that meeting the Board of Elections commissioners raised concerns that changing districts during a presidential election year could confuse voters. Other questions focused on why redistricting had not already been completed in the wake of the 2020 census.
A public hearing on redistricting was scheduled prior to last Thursday’s Common Council meeting. But no one commented because the proposal to amend the wards had been pulled from the final agenda.
Nevertheless, during new business, Ward 2 Democrat Jacob Avery questioned Mayor Chris Rosenquest about the status.
“About redistricting, what are the next steps?” asked Avery.
“According to the charter there aren’t any if the council does not want to proceed with," Mayor Rosenquest replied. "We’ve done the exercise of creating the commission. The council has seemingly rejected the commission’s findings. But for the charter there is no other further action. We do not have to do a redistricting at this point. We can carry it through the next census essentially.”
But Ward 3 Democrat Elizabeth Gibbs disagreed with the mayor.
“I don’t know if I agree with that interpretation," said Gibbs. "I mean we are out of compliance with the law. We are the last municipality in New York who still needs to do the work. The charter was clear about it needs to be done. I don’t think the charter says anything about if it’s rejected then that ends the process. It still needs to be done.”
“I would defer to the legal counsel on the matter then.” said the mayor.
City attorney Dean Schneller provided input, but it did not quell the debate.
“The charter anticipates the council forming a commission to look at districting in accordance with state law and it anticipates that the council would adopt the recommendations by that commission, noted Schneller. "But it doesn’t speak to the scenario where the rules or conditions have not been accepted. So there’s really silence in the charter to that effect.”
“Well, the law says that we must redistrict," Gibbs countered. "We are already two and three years overdue.”
Gibbs noted that the charter does not prevent rejecting current proposal and forming another commission that would redistrict after the November general election. Avery felt the council should discuss such options.
“I think we should at least have a formal conversation and think about it a little bit more," Avery said. "There’s really two options from what I’m hearing. We pursue it and do it all over again and what was done up to this point or do nothing for another five years. Those are the two options from what I’m hearing.”
Ward 6 Democrat and mayor Pro-Tem Jeff Moore researched how the city did its last redistricting. He says if a new redistricting commission is formed members must be acutely familiar with the process and the city.
“I know that the Board of Elections reached out and offered their assistance," noted Moore. "You know that’s where you’ve got to go. I look at the previous commission they had everybody involved. You know the county did the same thing this year. I believe they had legislators on their redistricting committee. A few people had a little disagreement about this line or that line. But if the council would’ve been more involved I think it would’ve been very helpful.”
Councilors plan to discuss if they will move forward with redistricting after the November general election during their next work session.
