Assemblyman Andrew Goodell, R-Jamestown, is pictured during the state Assembly’s votes against redistricting plans on Monday.

The state’s Independent Redistricting Commission didn’t agree on much other than keeping the 23rd Congressional District roughly intact from Corning to Chautauqua County.

That’s one reason why Assemblyman Andrew Goodell, R-Jamestown, voted for the maps on the state legislative session’s first day — one of seven votes in favor of the proposal.

“Both maps have the Congressional District for the Southern Tier maintaining the central identity along the Southern Tier,” Goodell said on the Assembly floor. “I think that’s very positive for that particular Congressional District. That’s why I voted in favor.”

Goodell was one of a handful of legislators — Republican or Democrat — to vote for all of the redistricting bills taken up by the Assembly on Monday. Assembly Bill 8587 was voted down by a 142-4 vote, while A.8588 failed by a 141-5 vote. A.8589 was defeated 138-8. Goodell made light of the maps’ lopsided defeats on the Assembly floor prior to the votes, including joking that he is used to being on his own on many votes and that his district was largely untouched by legislative redistricting by both the Republicans and Democrats.

“I was very pleased that both maps that were produced by the Independent Redistricting Commission kept my particular district in the state of New York and didn’t move it to Ohio,” Goodell said. “Although I would point out that the capitol of Ohio is closer to me than Albany, I still am proud to be a New Yorker.”

The legislative defeat of the maps created wasn’t unexpected. The bipartisan state Independent Redistricting Commission had been tasked with creating maps, but instead Democrats and Republicans on the panel couldn’t reach agreement and decided to send each side’s competing proposals to the full state Legislature. The commission has another 15 days to send new proposals back to the legislature, though state law gives it until Feb. 28 to complete the redistricting process. After that, the state Legislature can draw the lines itself, with Gov. Kathy Hochul having to approve a final plan.

Assemblyman Michael Lawler voted in favor of each plan along with Goodell. The Pearl River Republican was ill and unable to attend the vote in-person, but texted Goodell a message to be read on the Assembly floor. In that message, Lawler called on the commission to use the next two weeks to find agreement on a redistricting plan and allow the process voters approved in 2014 to run its course as intended.

“Clearly when you look at the different version of the maps, there was agreement in numerous districts and with a little more time and effort, Mr. Lawler believes the commission could produce and provide a compromise and produce fair and independent maps,” Goodell said as he read Lawler’s text message. “Mr. Lawler supports the process and is hopeful the commission will fulfill its mission. This body should be encouraging that process, not discouraging the process. The near unanimous rejection of these maps by the majority raises doubts about the intention of this body when it comes to redistricting and makes one believe the majority has every intention of drawing the maps itself.”