A Veto for the Voters This week, New York State lawmakers unveiled proposed legislative district maps, based on the 2010 census and required in time for this year's elections. The maps, as expected, are entirely designed to protect party interests for Republicans who control the State Senate districts and Democrats who run the Assembly. These maps are so self-serving and politically skewed that Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office has said they are "simply unacceptable." He has repeatedly vowed to veto maps that were not drawn by an independent commission - and he should keep that promise. The legislative task force that created these maps will soon hold more public hearings and offer a final version to the Legislature for approval. Some lawmakers assume the revised maps will be less flagrantly gerrymandered. That's a vain hope. The proper solution is to start over. Here are a few examples of redistricting gone wrong: ¶In three new Senate districts, Republicans forced incumbent Democrats into the same district to run against each other. State Senator Michael Gianaris, a powerful Queens Democrat, found that his block was carefully excised from his present district and tucked into the neighboring district of Senator José Peralta, another Democrat. ¶Republicans also manipulated redistricting formulas created in the late 19th century to add a 63rd Senate seat. And instead of putting that new district in New York City, where the population justifies an addition, they carved up Albany County to create a new seat for a favorite Republican assemblyman. ¶Democrats in the Assembly have also drawn new districts unfairly. On Long Island, for example, Democrats altered four Assembly districts so that instead of one Democratic and three Republican seats, at least one of the Republicans could easily lose to a Democrat. This kind of redistricting is deeply undemocratic, making it hard to take on incumbents and their parties. Legislators focusing on their own districts have also failed so far to release Congressional district maps. Federal District Court Judge Gary Sharpe added to the urgency on Friday by ruling that the state's Congressional primaries will be held on June 26 instead Sept. Common Cause New York has shown that it is possible to draw straightforward and fair maps of Congressional and state legislative districts by keeping communities intact and respecting local jurisdictional lines. The goal is to have districts that promote competition and serve communities fairly. The solution may have to come from the courts, since these maps are likely to be the subject of litigation. In the meantime, Governor Cuomo must prepare to veto this scandalous mess and not settle for any compromise that fails to correct the Legislature's gerrymandered product.