Nassau County, New York, decided to redraw its voting map after a lawsuit alleged that existing political boundaries undermined the voting rights of "colored" residents. Located in the eastern suburbs of Queens, the county has pledged to create six congressional districts where blacks, Latinos and Asians will make up the majority of eligible voters. This decision comes in response to a map approved in 2023, in which residents were the majority in only four of the county's 19 districts, despite representing more than a third of the electorate, according to a report by the Associated Press.

The lawsuit, filed by the New York Civil Liberties Union and other groups, argued that the 2023 map diluted the electoral power of minority communities by dividing or combining them with entirely different ones. This strategy, according to the plaintiffs, made it difficult to elect representatives who reflected the diversity of the county. Although the white population makes up about 56 percent of the county's 1.4 million residents, it dominates nearly 80 percent of the local legislature. Lisa Ortiz, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, highlighted that the new map represents a step forward toward electoral justice, ensuring that the voices of "colored" communities are properly heard, according to the publication.

The new drawing of the districts will come into force in the November legislative elections and will remain valid until the next census in 2030, when the maps will be adjusted again. The county Republican Party, which currently controls the legislature, has said it is committed to fair and competitive districts. Joseph Cairo, chairman of the Nassau County Republican Committee, expressed confidence in maintaining the Republican majority, noting that his electoral successes reflect the priorities of local residents.

This case is one of several lawsuits filed under the New York Voting Rights Act, enacted in 2022 in response to voting restrictions passed in Republican-led states after the 2020 presidential election. The decision in Nassau County is seen as a significant victory for groups fighting for greater equity in political representation and strengthening minority voting rights in the United States.