Sotomayor Rebukes Court in N.Y. Voting Map Fight
7th March 2026
Justice Sonia Sotomayor warned that the U.S. Supreme Court had asserted a “newfound authority” after it halted a New York state court order that would have required the state to redraw New York City’s only Republican-held congressional district before the 2026 midterm elections.
The ruling left the current lines in place for now in a closely watched fight over House control.
The emergency action stopped a January ruling that had found the district unfair to Black and Hispanic voters. The district is represented by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., and covers Staten Island and part of Brooklyn. The move preserves the current map as New York’s election calendar advances.
Sotomayor, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, said the court had inserted itself into a state election dispute before New York’s highest court had ruled.
She argued that the justices had acted without explanation and warned that the move could pull the court into election-law disputes nationwide as states continue to fight over congressional boundaries.
Malliotakis praised the decision, saying it kept New York’s 11th Congressional District intact and protected Staten Island and southern Brooklyn voters from losing the ability to elect a representative who reflects their views.
And so the battle lines are drawn.