Several citizens groups Tuesday sued the City of Buffalo, alleging their redistricting “failed to meet the basic requirements of the law.” The complaint states that the city of Buffalo engaged in “non-compliance and arbitrary process” in its redistricting, and that the Citizens Commission, elected officials charged with redistricting, violated both New York state law and the City of Buffalo’s charter. The redistricting process determines how the City of Buffalo’s political districts are divided for the next ten years.

According to §104 of New York’s Public Officers Law, meetings of government bodies must be publicized before the meetings. The complaint alleges that the Citizens Commission did not provide notice of their meetings, broadcasts of their meetings or generate a report of their meetings as required by the city’s charter.

The Citizens Commission held an eight minute “public hearing” on May 18, just four days after the worst mass shooting in Buffalo history, at which the “[commission] members did not make a formal presentation to communicate their work process, the alternatives they considered, their deliberations, or any related information.” There was no opportunity for the public to provide input to the Citizens Commission prior to the development of the Commission Map, nor after it was completed.

Mayor Byron W. Brown’s statement after signing reapportionment into law suggested that the redistricting process “met all legal requirements as set forth by the City Charter, and the public was given ample time to comment.” The mayor’s statement also noted that all comments regarding the redistricting are available on the city’s website. It is unlikely the Mayor took note of these comments, however, because 167 of the 207 comments (approximately 80% of the comments) ask the mayor to “VETO” the Commission Map.

The citizens groups contend that the City of Buffalo failed to conduct a proper redistricting process, as required by law. The groups ask the court bar the newly redistricted maps from going into effect and direct the city to conduct a new redistricting process which “allows public participation and observation, and creates reports, as required by the Municipal Home Rule Law, the Open Meetings Law, and the City of Buffalo Charter.”