Photo: Alamy
The Supreme Court on Monday sided with New York Republican Rep. Nicole Malliotakis in a dispute over the boundaries of the only New York City congressional district.
In an unsigned order, the court granted Malliotakis’ request to restore the Staten Island-based district lines after a state judge had blocked them, ruling the configuration was racially discriminatory.
Justice Samuel Alito wrote in support of the decision. The court’s three liberal justices dissented, arguing that the majority was inserting itself into election law disputes nationwide as states redraw maps ahead of the 2026 midterms.
Republicans currently hold a narrow 218-214 majority in the House, heightening the political stakes of competitive districts like Malliotakis’ as the party seeks to maintain control of Congress in November’s elections. Losing control of either chamber could complicate President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda and open the door to Democratic-led investigations.
In January, New York Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Pearlman ruled that the district’s configuration unlawfully diluted the voting power of underrepresented residents. Malliotakis and members of the state Board of Elections appealed that decision.
The underlying lawsuit was filed by Staten Island voters backed by attorney Marc Elias, a prominent Democratic election law advocate.
The ruling is the latest in a series of Supreme Court interventions in redistricting disputes. In December, the court revived a redrawn Texas congressional map aimed at flipping Democratic-held seats to Republicans. In February, the justices allowed California to proceed with a new map projected to benefit Democrats.
In Virginia, Democrats are seeking to redistrict the state to favor the party in 10 of 11 congressional districts. In Indiana, a Republican-led effort to redistrict the state failed to move forward due to a lack of GOP support. The proposed map would have provided two additional seats favorable to Republicans.
Redistricting battles across multiple states are expected to shape the balance of power in Congress as both parties seek advantages ahead of the midterm elections.