Brookhaven Town Board Approves New Voting District Lines: Reports

FARMINGVILLE, NY — The Brookhaven Town Board unanimously approved a set of new council district boundary lines on Thursday night, according to published reports.

But the measure was not without controversy as some community members believe the new lines dilute minority communities, and shouted "Shame on you" after the vote, Newsday reported.

Middle Island resident Shirley Singletary Hudson, who was critical of the new lines, told the outlet that she was disappointed.

"I probably would have liked to even hear them say to not vote on it [Thursday]," she said. "Their minds were already made up and that's unfortunate."

But supporters of the new lines, like Coram Civic Association vice president Kareem Nugdalla, called the new lines fair because they unite some communities, such as his own, that are currently split into different districts, News 12 reported.

"It is not a racist map or a map that looks to take away the voice of minority communities of color," he said.

The town's Republican majority did not comment on the proposal, according to Newsday.

Town officials have previously said that 90 percent of communities would not be affected by the changes and that there would be less communities split than before.

Jonathan Kornreich, the board's lone Democrat, supported the map because he said it included compromises that brought some communities together, though he bemoaned the redistricting process, calling it flawed, the outlet reported.

Before the vote, Kornreich told the outlet: "This process was atrocious. "It was not a fair and transparent process at all."

The town's bi-partisan redistricting committee had failed to agree on the voting lines and sent the matter back to the town board weeks before. The board had a deadline of Dec. 15 to approve the changes.