Explore New York’s 230+ years of representatives*
In 237 years, New York has had 1,472 house representatives, and at it’s peak had 45 congressional districts. Find out how we got here, and how understanding our democracy in the past helps us understand the future.
*this section excludes the national senate as senators are elected statewide
1788
1st Congressional Delegation from New York
1842
Apportionment Act outlaws multi-member districts
1920
All New Yorkers age 21 or over can legally vote
1964
Voting rights act protects minorities
2014
Anti-Gerrymandering Amendment
1777-1841
The Birth of America sparked controversy in how the states handled representation. The early house of representatives was comparatively small, and congressmen were elected in differing ways, varying by state to state.
What does the constitution say about the election of representatives?
The majority of information the constitution gives on the makeup of the house of representatives stems from Article 1, Section 2, “The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature.” This meant that house members must be elected democratically by the people, as opposed to the senate, and that the voters eligible to vote in house races would be the same as those allowed to vote in state legislative races. For example, blacks could not vote in state legislative races in 1788, so they could not vote for the house. Additionally, the constitution states “Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers…” This established the procedure of apportionment in which representatives were assigned by population (at the time 3/5 of slaves were counted). Overtime, the constitution would ensure more people had the right to vote and be represented, notably in the 14th amendments equal protection clause. Additionally, the constitution notably never mentions elections via districts in Article 1.
Early Voting Rights
1777 State Constitution
Initially, the New York State Constitution only allowed for property owning males to vote, but notably didn’t restrict the right of black males to vote
1821 Constitutional Convention
In 1821, New York dropped it’s property requirement for white males, drastically expanding suffrage, though a provisions were added to disenfranchise black males
1829 Abolition of Slavery
Slavery was Abolished in New York, which would later set the groundwork for the underground railroad and expansion of the black electorate
The Origin of Gerrymandering
In 1812, Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry redrew state senate maps in order to favor his party the Democratic Republicans. This resulted in an awkward looking district in Essex county that resembled the shape of a salamander. The Boston Gazette would publish and forever coin the term “Gerry-Mander” after Governor Gerry and the Salamander shaped district.
Congressional Progression
New York’s electorate changed drastically in the years after independence, becoming the largest and most ethnically diverse in the nation. However representation under the constitution was in its early stages, and precedents on fair maps were nearly nonexistent along with heavy voter restrictions.
New York’s first congressional map (1789)
New York was initially allotted six congressional districts from the constitution with roughly 56,000 people per district.
Birth of political parties
The passing of the US Constitution divided members of congress for the first time into two official parties, before this, candidates ran individually and gerrymandering would be impossible due to no constant partisan electorate.
A Gerrymander before Gerry?
While New York’s representation after the election was proportional to its partisan popular vote (54% federalist), others states attempted creating districts to unseat political opponents such as in Virginia. Many Federalist states at the time elected a slate of candidates from the entire state in avoiding the district system, which naturally lessens minority representation.
New York’s first redistricting cycle (1792)
New York gained 4 seats as the total amount of representatives nationally increased from 69 to 105. (This was far before the hard cap of 435 representatives).
First Census
The first census was conducted by officials who would go door to door asking six questions about the number of free males, females and enslaved people in the household.
Disconnected Districts
Early mapmakers often created non-contiguous districts such as districts three and eight in New York oftentimes for partisan reasons.
A 40 Seat Delegation (1842)
The 1832-1842 Map was the final map before the 1842 Apportionment act, at this time 17% of all house representatives were from New York, the most in history.
Property Requirements abolished
All White males could now vote in New York starting in 1821, vastly increasing the electorate. Free Black Males could also vote with heavy limitations.
Multi-Member Districts
A few of New York’s districts were represented by multiple people as seen on the map. Manhattan elected 4 representatives at large as at the time there was hesitancy of county splitting due to issues with ensuring equal population numbers and getting precinct polling locations.
The Apportionment Act of 1842
In response to states electing their representatives through different and often unrepresentative means, congress took action to create the modern single-member district system used today. Multi-member at at-large* muti member districts were outlawed and all districts had to be contiguous.
*(At-large still used for states who don’t meet the population threshold for a 2nd congressional district)
The Manhattan Example
For many years Manhattan would elect four representatives at large instead if splitting itself into four districts as politicians feared it would give representation to increasing minority communities such as the Irish.
1842-1919
The American electorate was increasing rapidly and was more diverse than ever. The 14th amendment’s equal protection clause paved way for arguments against gerrymandering and conversations on racial representation in mapping increased.
An Emerging New Two Party System
After the 1856 Election it was clear a new party system was emerging that came to cement the Democrat vs Republican axis we are familiar with today. After the Whig party collapsed due to inner factions disagreements over the 1854 Kansas-Nebraska act, Republicans became the anti-slavery pro-federal government party while the Democrats became the pro-slavery pro-states rights party. This cemented strong democratic constituencies in the south and republican constituencies in the north. States were also obliged to comply with the Apportionment Act of 1842 as parties could no longer dominate an entire states delegation via at-large party slate voting, this compelled more states to start gerrymandering under the single-district system.
An Emerging New Two Party System
After the 1856 Election it was clear a new party system was emerging that came to cement the Democrat vs Republican axis we are familiar with today. After the Whig party collapsed due to inner factions disagreements over the 1854 Kansas-Nebraska act, Republicans became the anti-slavery pro-federal government party while the Democrats became the pro-slavery pro-states rights party. This cemented strong democratic constituencies in the south and republican constituencies in the north. States were also obliged to comply with the Apportionment Act of 1842 as parties could no longer dominate an entire states delegation via at-large party slate voting, this compelled more states to start gerrymandering under the single-district system.
1856 House Election Results (Republicans in Red, Democrats in Blue)
“1856 U.S. House election results.” Map by Incognito melon, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
1920-1967
After capping the amount of representatives in the house and the 19th amendment granting the right to vote to women, representation became often intertwined with racial justice in a struggle to standardize redistricting under the principles of “one person, one vote”.
1968-2013
Redistricting had largely been standardized and was beholden to VRA regulations protecting minorities. Overtime party loyalties would become more entrenched and better technology would allow for more accurate gerrymanders nationwide.
2014-the present
Polarization and Technology have allowed for highly effective gerrymanders, however increasing awareness of it has led certain states like New York to condemn the practice and create independent commissions to draw maps while other states embrace mid-decade redistricting.
Discover the History of New York Districts
An in-depth timeline showcasing pivotal changes in New York’s congressional districts and their impact on representation.
Early District Formation
Examine the origins of New York’s district boundaries and the early frameworks of representation.
Mid-Century Redistricting
Understand the key legislative shifts and demographic changes influencing district maps in the 20th century.
Modern Redistricting Efforts
Review recent reforms and advocacy aimed at promoting fairness in New York’s electoral districts.
Future of Fair Maps
Discover ongoing initiatives and strategies advancing transparency and equity in redistricting.
District History Overview
Discover the detailed timeline of New York’s district evolution and House representation, providing key insights into historical shifts and their impact on current redistricting efforts.
Phase One: Early Foundations
Examine the origins of New York’s congressional districts, tracing the establishment of boundaries and legislative developments that shaped initial representation.
Phase Two: Mid-Century Changes
Understand the significant redistricting changes during the mid-1900s, including political, demographic, and legal influences affecting district realignment.
Phase Three: Modern Redistricting
Review recent developments and reforms in district mapping, emphasizing efforts to promote fairness and transparency in the redistricting process.