Chautauqua County to Join Southern Tier Congressional District

Chautauqua County will be part of the 23rd Congressional District starting in 2013.

BROOKLYN – Chautauqua County will have a new representative in Washington starting next year. That after three federal judges yesterday set the boundaries for New York’s 27 congressional districts, making minimal technical changes to a plan that had been drawn up earlier this month by federal Magistrate Roanne Mann.

As a result of the plan, Chautauqua County will be in the new 23^rd Congressional District, which runs all the way to Tioga County in the east. The Southern Tier district would also include Cattaraugus, Allegany, Steuben, Chemung, Schuyler, Yates Tompkins and Seneca counties – along with a portion of Ontario County.

Congressman Brian Higgins, who has represented Chautauqua County in the House of Representatives since 2005, said it’s been an extraordinary privilege to serve the towns, cities and villages in Chautauqua County. Higgins will have an opportunity to represent the new 26^th Congressional District, which includes the entire city of Buffalo and several surrounding communities.

The congressman who would represent the new 23^rd congressional District – barring a defeat in the November election – is former Corning mayor Tom Reed. The 40 year-old Republican is currently serving his first term in the house.