Whose district am I in? How NY redistricting may affect your Rochester-area ballot options

Chris McKenna, New York State Team
·3 min read

New York finally has a congressional map that will last longer than one election.

After three years of partisan clashes, state lawmakers closed a tumultuous round of redistricting last week by adopting new lines for 26 House districts that will serve for the next four races. The Democratic-led legislature made a smattering of changes to the map proposed two weeks earlier by an independent panel, but nothing that could prompt a Republican court challenge.

Immediately signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul, the new map gave the state its third set of House lines in a four-year span, replacing the court-imposed districts that were drawn by a special master and used for the 2022 elections.

The state legislature's approved congressional redistricting map in New York. Legislature Democrats rejected a map proposed earlier by a bipartisan redistricting commission.
The state legislature's approved congressional redistricting map in New York. Legislature Democrats rejected a map proposed earlier by a bipartisan redistricting commission.

How many NY districts are different now?

In most upstate districts, the line changes gave no real boost to one party over the other. But for voters in some towns and counties, they mean a different choice of candidates on the November ballot and the certainty of a new representative next January.

All 11 districts north of New York City shifted to some degree in comparison to the 2022 lines. Some barely changed, others swapped towns or even entire counties with their neighbors. One had a notable partisan shift: the Syracuse-area 22nd District, represented by GOP freshman Brandon Williams, moved four percentage points in favor of Democrats.

The new map and the 2022 version it replaced can be easily compared on a website by The Center for Urban Research at the CUNY Graduate Center: newyork.redistrictingandyou.org/. Individual district maps also can be found at latfor.state.ny.us/maps/.

Here are snapshots of how four upstate districts changed from the 2022 lines:

25th District, Rochester area

U.S. Congressman Joe Morelle spoke briefly asking people to pray for the people of Israel and pray for a world free from war and destruction.
U.S. Congressman Joe Morelle spoke briefly asking people to pray for the people of Israel and pray for a world free from war and destruction.

Incumbent: Joe Morelle, Democrat (first elected 2018)

Unchanged: All of Monroe County

Changes: Added two Ontario County towns (Victor, East Bloomfield); lost six Orleans County towns (Yates, Carlton, Kendall, Gaines, Murray, part of Clarendon)

Impact: The 25th District remains solidly blue turf where Joe Biden beat Donald Trump by 21 percentage points, after a nearly 1 point tick in Democrats' favor under the new map. Morelle has no opponent yet in his bid for a fourth term.

24th District, northern and western New York

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney discusses norther border issues outside the border patrol office on Pattonwood Dr. In Irondequoit.
Congresswoman Claudia Tenney discusses norther border issues outside the border patrol office on Pattonwood Dr. In Irondequoit.

Incumbent: Claudia Tenney, Republican (first elected 2016; lost seat for two years)

Unchanged: Seven counties (Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston, Wayne, Seneca, Oswego, Yates)

Changes: Added parts of five counties (Orleans, Niagara, Steuben, Schuyler, Jefferson); lost parts of two (Ontario, Cayuga)

Impact: The safely Republican 24th District just shifted three points further toward the GOP, becoming turf Trump won by almost 21 points. Tenney, a staunch Trump supporter, has no serious Democratic opponent but does have a Republican primary challenger, Mario Fratto, who's trying to out-Trump her.

19th District, Hudson Valley to Finger Lakes

Rep. Marc Molinaro, left, shakes hands with Chris Gibson after being sworn in during the Ulster County swearing-in ceremony for Molinaro in Saugerties, NY, on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2023.
Rep. Marc Molinaro, left, shakes hands with Chris Gibson after being sworn in during the Ulster County swearing-in ceremony for Molinaro in Saugerties, NY, on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2023.

Incumbent: Marc Molinaro, Republican (first elected 2022)

Unchanged: Seven full counties (Columbia, Greene, Delaware, Sullivan, Broome, Chenango, Tompkins)

Changes: Added Tioga County, most of Rensselaer and the rest of Otsego; traded parts of Ulster with the 18th District; lost part of Cortland County

Impact: The 19th District is competitive turf Biden won by 4.4 points, almost the same blue edge it had under the 2022 lines. Molinaro is set for a rematch with Josh Riley, the Democrat he beat in 2022. Riley has been a strong fundraiser, outpacing Molinaro in each of three quarters of 2023 after launching his second bid.

18th District, Hudson Valley

Rep. Pat Ryan talks at the Ulster County Democrats Election Night Watch Party in Kingston, NY, on Tuesday, November 8, 2022.
Rep. Pat Ryan talks at the Ulster County Democrats Election Night Watch Party in Kingston, NY, on Tuesday, November 8, 2022.

Incumbent: Pat Ryan, Democrat (first elected 2022)

Unchanged: All of Orange County, most of Dutchess, part of Ulster

Changes: Traded parts of Ulster County with the 19th District, adding four towns (Saugerties, Woodstock, Kingston and Ulster) and losing five (Shawngunk, Wawarsing, Rochester, Marbletown, Rosendale)

Impact: The competitive 18th District shifted toward Democrats by nearly a point under the new lines, becoming an area Biden won by 9.2 points. Ryan, seeking a second full term, is being challenged by Republican Alison Esposito and is lapping her in fundraising, leaving their respective campaign war chests at $2.2 million and $198,000 at the end of 2023.

Chris McKenna covers government and politics for The Journal News and USA Today Network. Reach him at cmckenna@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Did NY redistricting change your Rochester-area congressperson?