The Brookhaven Town Council unanimously voted to approve changes to the town's council districts on Thursday.

The new map was praised by some for uniting communities like Coram and Ridge, which are currently split. Others say it weakens the minority vote by changing Council Districts Four and One.

A debate took place at a public hearing before the vote about the pros and cons of the changes to the districts.

"You don't know the communities - you don't know the people - you don't know the Black history in Gordon Heights," said Shirley Singletary Hudson, of Middle Island. "Most of you don't come over there."

A larger portion of Ridge, a mostly white community, will now join District 4, which has more Black and brown residents than any other.

Some at the public hearing even said that the map violates the federal voting rights act and the New York State John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act and needs to be tossed out.

Coram Civic Association Vice President Kareem Nugdalla argues the map is fair and recognizes the desire of every community to stay or become unified.

"It is not a racist map or a map that looks to take away the voice of minority communities of color," Nugdalla says.

According to the town, the redistricting process was fair, open and transparent with over a dozen public hearings.

The new map will be in effect for the next decade.

The next Census in 2030 will determine if the districts need to be changed again.