Lawsuit Claims Rockland Redistricting "Maximizes the Power of Hasidic Leaders"

By M.C. Millman

Michael Parietti, a Ramapo activist, claims that Rockland County's legislative redistricting empowers Hasidic Jews at the expense of other residents and enhances the electability of legislators. 

On Friday, December 9, Parietti filed a 161-page legal action with the Supreme Court in New City against County Executive Ed Day, The County Legislature and the County Board of Elections. The lawsuit's main point is that the boundaries established for the seventeen districts are unconstitutional as they have divided the votes of communities with shared interests and the votes of people of color. 

"It appears that due to their rising political influence in Rockland County around the turn of the century, Hasidic leaders were able to gain control over the process of redistricting the Rockland County Legislature after the 2000 Census. The districts were gerrymandered to maximize the political representation and power of Hasidic leaders in the legislature at the expense of other groups," Parietti declares in his legal papers. 

Aside from the 'primary purpose', Pariettie believes that Rockland's redistricting is "a violation of the federal Voting Rights Act, the New York State Constitution, and New York Municipal Home Rule Law."

According to LoHud, Day and Legislature Chairman Jay Hood, D-Haverstraw, an attorney, said the County has not been served with Parietti's legal action and will not comment on a pending lawsuit.

Redistricting occurs every ten years following the census to comply with federal law and ensure that districts have equal populations. Legislators in Rockland voted 13-1 to adopt the election map. 

According to LoHud, Day and Legislative leaders said the districts were balanced, though they conceded no map is perfect and there would be critics. Day said on Monday that the "issue is primarily a difference of opinion between the Rockland County Legislature and the litigants (Parietti)."

The County has until December 20 to respond and file legal papers with the judge.