Federal Judges Change Peter King's District

R-Seaford, will see his Congressional district change considerably under a new map that has been approved by a three-judge Federal Court panel.

The judges adopted a map drawn by lower court judge Roanne Mann a week ago after state lawmakers did not come up with a redistricting plan that reflects the results of the 2010 census.

"Like the census that triggers it, this argument is now raised in federal courts at predictable 10-year intervals," the judges wrote in their decision Monday, addressing the lawsuit by voters who argued that the state was doing harm to their right to participate in upcoming elections.

The panel noted in past years New York has implemented a plan at the last minute to avoid having judges draw the map. But they didn't this year.

Describing the inaction as "an unwelcome failure of state government." 

The new map eliminates two existing Congressional districts in the state going from 29 to 27, districts. 

One of the lost seats will be on Long Island, which will now have four districts instead of five.

King currently represents the Third Congressional District, which spans from the North Shore to the South Shore of Long Island. It includes: Bellmore, Bethpage, Farmingdale, Glen Cove, Hicksville, Levittown, Long Beach, Massapequa, Merrick, North Bellmore, North Merrick, Seaford, Syosset and Wantagh in Nassau County, as well as parts of Amityville, Babylon, Bay Shore, Copiague, East Islip, Islip, Lindenhurst, North Lindenhurst, West Babylon and West Islip.

Under the new map approved by the Federal Court, King would reside in the Second Congressional District. A major portion of the northern part of what is now King's district will be split among the Third District, while the King's Second District would incorporate the southern part of his district but would extend farther east.

Calls to King's spokesman were not immediately returned, several reports have indicated that he will run in the new Second District.

The redistricting eliminated the portion of Rep. Gary Ackerman's district that was in Nassau County. Ackerman, D-Roslyn Heights, announced last week he would not run for re-election.