Residents Invited to Forum on County Redistricting

Glen Cove residents are invited to a special forum at Gribbin Elementary School Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. to learn about how the County's redistricting will affect their community.

Antonia Petrash of Glen Cove represents the League of Women Voters of Nassau County. She encouraged residents to come out and learn about the proposed new maps, one of which will be in effect for the next 10 years.

"Now they've established the Democrats' map and the Republicans' map, and there is a third map proposed by the coalition," Petrash said. She described the Nassau United Redistricting Coalition as a non-partisan group interested in fair redistricting of the County's legislative districts.

"The current proposed Republican Nassau County redistricting plan will completely change the Glen Cove legislative district, dividing it and snaking it down through Syosset and Plainview, ignoring school district communities," according to Petrash. "Fair districts should keep neighbors together and respect existing community boundaries. They also must adhere to the Federal Voting Rights Act. Voting power is reshaped every decade when governments draw new electoral districts. Redistricting should protect and strengthen voting rights. The proposed maps by the Republicans and Democrats seem designed to divide and dilute the voting power of the Glen Cove area."

She said Nassau County Legislators Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, Rose Marie Walker and Judy Jacobs were invited to attend. Walker is a Republican; DeRiggi-Whitton and Jacobs are Democrats.

Petrash said residents should know what the maps mean so that they can contact their Legislators before the March 5 vote.

"What is decided on March 5 will last for 10 full years, and it will affect people's lives," she said.

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