BREAKING: A New York Appellate Court has ruled that the independent redistricting commission must draw up a new map
🚨BREAKING: A New York Appellate Court has ruled that the state’s independent redistricting commission must draw up a new congressional map, after a court struck down* the state’s current 11th Congressional District for diluting the voting power of Black and Latino residents.
— Marc Elias (@marcelias.bsky.social) 2026-02-19T15:15:34.604Z
BREAKING: In a win for Black and Latino voters, a New York appellate court rules the state’s independent redistricting commission can move forward in drawing a new congressional map.
— Democracy Docket (@democracydocket.com) 2026-02-19T15:11:39.772469286Z
As a result, the state will get a new map that would likely hand Democrats one more seat in Congress.
= new reply since forum marked as read
it’s also encouraging to remember he’s only the tip of a much larger spear.
So, while Elias handles the party-level fights, other groups like the ACLU and LDF just won those huge redistricting cases in Alabama and Louisiana that changed the map for 2024 and 2026.
At the same time, the Native American Rights Fund is winning fights for tribal access, and the Brennan Center is basically the brain trust writing the state-level Voting Rights Acts that are keeping us protected right now.
It’s a huge relief to know Elias isn't in this alone and it's a mistake to praise him singularly at the expense of ignoring the rest of an entire "ecosystem" of brilliant people winning on different fronts! Know what I mean?
It's interesting to note that Marc Elias' most significant lawsuits are often funded by the Democratic National Committee (DNC), the DSCC, and the DCCC. When he wins, he is winning using the resources, data, and donor money provided by the very party many people insinuate are doing nothing.
Here are some more groups and organizations that deserve praise and attention (and funding).
Legal Defense Fund (LDF): Formerly part of the NAACP, LDF is a separate entity that has recently led trials to strike down racially discriminatory voting maps in Mississippi and advocated for the Henry McNeal Turner Voting Rights Act in Georgia.
Brennan Center for Justice: Specializes in policy research and litigation, recently filing federal lawsuits alongside the ACLU and LDF to protect the Voting Rights Act (VRA).
Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law: In May 2025, they filed a major lawsuit challenging Louisiana's "proof of citizenship" requirements for voter registration.
Native American Rights Fund (NARF): Focuses on protecting tribal voting access; they recently successfully challenged Montana laws that restricted ballot collection and student ID use.
Democracy 2025: Resourced by Democracy Forward, this is a massive coalition of over 280 organizations launched in late 2024 to deploy "swift legal defenses" against expected anti-democratic executive actions and legislation.
Common Cause: Focuses on grassroots legislative priorities, such as the Maryland Voting Rights Act of 2025, and fights against partisan gerrymandering.
League of Women Voters: A non-partisan group that uses litigation at local and state levels to defend democracy, currently involved in active cases in Ohio and Georgia.
Voto Latino & LatinoJustice PRLDEF: These groups focus on the specific voting rights of the Hispanic and Latino communities, often intervening in redistricting cases.
Voters of Tomorrow: A Gen Z-led organization that has gained significant influence by focusing on youth political power and fighting barriers like campus polling place closures.
Voter Participation Center: Focused on reaching underrepresented communities through massive data-driven registration efforts, targeting 4.7 million Americans for the 2026 midterms.
