Electoral map of New York State representing the different districts.

Upstate New York secession seems unlikely for the foreseeable future, and it may not be the best solution to upstate’s problems. Additionally, some view secession as too extreme or impractical. There may then be better ways to address the divide between upstate and downstate. However, this is not a simple task. The divide between upstate and downstate can be highly polarizing, and it likely cannot be solved simply by encouraging greater compromise in the state legislature.

As some within the New Amsterdam movement have suggested, perhaps a compromise solution would be to keep New York intact as a state but divide it into two “autonomous regions” with a mostly symbolic state government uniting them. However, this still runs into many of the same problems as formal secession, such as revenue and expenditure issues.

Somewhat more realistically, electoral districts could perhaps be redrawn to better represent different regions of New York in the state legislature. This could help upstate gain the political influence it desires. However, this still presents challenges and would be sure to face strong opposition from those who benefit from the way district lines are currently drawn.