ALBANY COUNTY — Before the Albany County Redistricting Commission holds its next public hearing on May 26, county residents can review the first full-county redistricting draft map, which was published online earlier this week. 

The redistricting commission is tasked with drawing new legislative districts based primarily on population changes recorded in the 2020 census. The maps will be in effect for approximately 10 years, until the next census necessitates another change.

The commission is working alongside the Majority Minority Redistricting Subcommittee, which is concerned with maintaining the voting power of minority communities. The redistricting commission said that the first draft map has incorporated all the suggestions offered by the subcommittee.

The Albany County Redistricting Commission public hearing will take place on May 26 at the Harold L. Joyce County Office Building at 5 p.m., but those interested in attending also have the option of doing so remotely, over Zoom. 

The Majority Minority Redistricting Subcommittee is also holding a public hearing, on May 18, also at the county office building or over Zoom. 

Guilderland

Because Guilderland comprises more legislative districts than other municipalities in the Enterprise coverage area, it’s been subject to the most change in the first draft. 

District 28, represented by Dennis Feeney, would lose the whole southern section that stretches from I-90 past Route 20, near Nott Road Town Park, with that area being broken up among districts 29, 30, and 33. However, District 28 would gain a large portion of District 27 that lies between Curry Road and Central Avenue. The whole district’s population would stay basically the same.

District 29, which is represented by Mark Grimm, would lose a bit of its northeastern section (around West Lydius Street, in Guilderland) as well as the area near Guilderland Center, but would gain an enormous amount of ground in the east that currently belongs to District 28. That area includes the Pine Haven Country Club and Fusco Town Park, and extends just past I-90. The district’s population would increase by 1.4 percent.

District 30, represented by Dustin Reidy, would no longer include the area that runs from Church Road to Crossgates Mall, ceding it to District 32. However, it would take over a part of District 28 that stretches from Star Plaza to just past the Pine Bush Preserve. It would also gain land between Walden’s Pond and Dr. Shaw Road. The district’s population would increase by 2.2 percent. 

District 31, represented by Jeff Perlee, would lose the portion of Berne that it currently represents, but gain a part of Knox that lies between Township Road to the north, the town of Schoharie to the west, the town of Berne to the South, and several different roads to the east, including Knox Cave Road. District 31 would also gain a bit of land east of the Northeastern Industrial Park, but lose a similar amount just south of its addition. The district’s population would decrease by 2.5 percent. 

District 32, represented by Mickey Cleary, would lose all its land west of Norman Kill, but gain the section of Crossgates Mall that currently belongs to District 30. The district’s population would decrease by 0.4 percent. 
 

Hilltowns and New Scotland

District 33, in New Scotland and Bethlehem, represented by William Reinhardt, would lose patches of land in its southern section to districts 38 and 9, but would gain a sliver to the north, and the area around the Colonie Country Club. Its population would increase by 0.4 percent.

District 38, in New Scotland and Bethlehem, represented by Victoria Plotsky, would lose a portion of its southwestern, as well as its southeastern corners, but would gain a bit north of Delaware Avenue. Its population would decrease by 1.5 percent. 

District 39 in the Hilltowns, represented by Chris Smith, would lose the entire portion of Knox that it currently represents, but gains the rest of Berne. The county legislature had voted in 2011 to split up the Hilltowns between districts 39 and 31, despite dozens of Hilltowners requesting that they all remain within one district.