New York voters have approved a ballot proposition that authorizes a new commission to handle the once-a-decade task of drawing state legislative and congressional districts.

State political districts in New York have long been redrawn in a lawmaker-dominated process that good-government groups complain is designed to protect incumbents. Under the proposition before voters Tuesday, a 10-member commission will submit a plan for new districts to the Legislature in the next redistricting cycle.

The proposition divided good-government advocates, some who claimed the process would remain political. A state judge handed opponents a victory in September, ruling that the commission could not be described as “independent” on the ballot.

Proponents said that even though the state Legislature would have a vote on the lines, the new rules would make it difficult to improperly favor incumbents.

(AP)