Mineola, NY-Nassau County Legislator Kevan Abrahams (D-Hempstead) and Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury) announced today that the legislative majority has submitted a proposed legislative redistricting map as required under the County charter. The new maps were drawn to adapt the County to the 2000 census changes that have occurred in the past 10 years. The last redistricting maps were drawn in 1994.

"This map maintains effective minority districts," said Abrahams. "In fact, both Districts 1 and 2 increase as a percentage of minority population and complies with the federal the Voting Rights Act. This is a fair plan for Nassau County and it keeps all 19 incumbents in individual districts," Abrahams added. The map also splits fewer villages and maintains the registration plurality, with seven districts showing a majority Democratic registration and 12 with a majority Republican registration.

On January 3 the Temporary Districting Commission was unable to submit a proposed map to the legislature for consideration. When the commission failed to act, it fell upon the legislature to work with the commission's staff to formalize a map that could be approved by the full legislature.

The redistricting map will come before the Rules Committee this week and voted on before the full legislature before the March 3 deadline, as required by the County's charter.

This creation of the maps used the most advanced database ever created for Nassau County, according to Presiding Officer Jacobs.

The appointees of the Temporary Districting Commission used the most sophisticated software available and for the first time ever, merged county mapping, Board of Elections and the New York State legislative-generated U.S. Census databases.