5/17/22

Judge McAllister and Dr. Cervas,

The League of Women Voters of Saratoga County is a non-partisan group of over 200 members working to empower voters through education and advocacy. We submitted testimony to the Independent Redistricting Commission both before the first maps were drawn and after the maps were released for comment.

The Saratoga County League asked that you respect and preserve the municipal and county boundaries by which we already identify ourselves and conduct our lives.

We are very pleased to see that the Special Master’s Senate District Map puts all of Saratoga County into one Senate District (the 44th) and honors our request to have our community of interest with the Capital District respected by putting us in a Senate District with Schenectady and Niskayuna. We hope this district stays as drawn.

In our previous testimony we pointed out that Saratoga County should be a part of a Capital District Congressional District. We noted that the majority of our residents are more oriented towards the Capital District than to the North Country. Significant proportions of our population are employed in State government, and in other large businesses in Albany and Schenectady. We are part of the CDTA (Capital District Transportation Authority) and Capital District Regional Planning Commission (CDRPC). Our hospital is affiliated with Albany Medical Center, and most of our medical providers are also affiliated with Capital Region groups. Therefore, we request that the entire County be included in one Congressional District, and we request that you redraw the Congressional map in such a way that we are included with the Capital District area.

Thank you.
Ann Marie Pendergast
Steering Committee
League of Women Voters of Saratoga County