U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis has held the seat since 2021
New York State Supreme Court Judge Jeffrey Pearlman ruled Jan. 22 the Congressional District 11 (CD-11) map to be redrawn after stating that it was unconstitutional. The suit aimed to redraw the CD-11 map to include lower Manhattan and Staten Island.
The seat, which has been held by U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, includes Staten Island and parts of southern Brooklyn, including Bay Ridge, Dyker Heights and Bensonhurst.
“We are reviewing the judge’s decision and our options to protect the voices of the people of Staten Island and Brooklyn,” Malliotakis told this paper in a statement. “Nothing changes the fact that this is a frivolous attempt by Washington Democrats to steal this congressional seat from the people and we are very confident that we will prevail at the end of the day.”
In October 2025, the lawsuit was filed by Elias Law Group on behalf of four voters, citing the district’s dilution of Black and Latino votes.
Its website states the law firm focuses on representing the Democratic Party, Democratic campaigns, nonprofit organizations, and individuals committed to securing a progressive future.
“Petitioners have also shown through testimony and empirical data that the history of discrimination against minority voters in CD-11 still impacts those communities,” said Judge Pearlman.
“CD-11’s antiquated boundaries instead confine Staten Island’s growing Black and Latino communities in a district where they are routinely and systematically unable to influence elections for their representative of choice, despite the existence of strongly racially polarized voting and a history of racial discrimination on Staten Island,” the lawsuit stated.
However, according to the New York Times, Pearlman chose not to adopt new lines proposed by the plaintiff’s lawyers.
“This ruling is the first step toward ensuring communities of interest remain intact from Staten Island to Lower Manhattan,” said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. “The voters of New York deserve the fairest congressional map.
Republican elected officials and leaders responded to the ruling, which is expected to be appealed.
“This was a partisan ruling made by a partisan judge in a case brought by a notoriously partisan attorney,” said NY GOP Chairperson Ed Cox. “Kathy Hochul and Albany Democrats did not alter this district when they had a chance in 2024. This entire exercise is a cynical attempt to enact an illegal partisan gerrymander under the guise of a voting rights case. It is shocking that the Governor and Attorney General did not defend the law that the legislature passed, and the Governor signed in 2024 – they are clearly colluding with the plaintiffs in this case.
“The Staten Island/Brooklyn Congressional District has existed for almost 45 years. Kathy Hochul and Democrats insult the intelligence of NY-11 voters when they engage in such partisan gerrymandering.”
“This redistricting decision is a complete sham,” said Assemblymember Michael Tannousis. “They are trying to fracture our community because they don’t like how we vote. We have a judge who was previously Special Counsel to the Governor directing the show, with an ‘Independent Redistricting Commission’ that previously found the current Congressional lines to be perfectly fine, but is now charged with redrawing our congressional district. It’s rigged. It’s transparently partisan, and it’s wrong.”
When the suit was filed, Malliotakis stated that “to claim our independently drawn map somehow disenfranchised Hispanics and other minorities when I’m the first Hispanic and minority member elected to represent this district is a new low!”
The judge ordered the Independent Redistricting Commission to redraw the district maps by Feb. 6.
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