Malliotakis asks Supreme Court to restore her congressional district

New York GOP Rep. Nicole Malliotakis filed an emergency appeal to the Supreme Court to restore her congressional district, claiming that the redrawing of it by a judge was unconstitutional.

Malliotakis filed the appeal this week, after the Manhattan Supreme Court last month redrew the lines of New York's 11th Congressional District following a lawsuit that claimed its boundaries disenfranchised black and Latino voters, Spectrum News NY1 reported.

The judge’s ruling last month requires the state’s Independent Redistricting Commission to draw a new congressional map, preventing the midterm elections from moving ahead until then, The Hill news outlet reported.

“The trial court’s order has thrown New York’s elections into chaos on the eve of the 2026 Congressional Election,” Malliotakis' application states.

The New York State Republican Elections Commissioner joined Malliotakis' attorneys in filing the emergency appeal.

"The decision by Justice Pearlman prevents any congressional election in the entire State of New York and will result in extreme disruption of the election process in our state. The decision is flawed on many bases, as the submissions to the Supreme Court of the United States make clear," New York State Republican Party Chairman Ed Cox said in a statement.

Malliotakis district spans Staten Island and parts of southern Brooklyn. The court's ruling could push a redraw that groups Staten Island with voters in Lower Manhattan. 

In her application, Malliotakis argues that the ruling effectively forces the state to racially gerrymander a new district in violation of the U.S. Constitution’s equal protection guarantee. The emergency appeal warns that the election calendar is moving quickly, as candidates can begin circulating nominating petitions on Feb. 24. 

The Supreme Court has not yet docketed Malliotakis' application.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor handles emergency matters from New York. She could either make her own decision on the application or refer it to the full Supreme Court for a vote, which is typical for major disputes.