Two sources told me today that the Senate Republicans are likely to drop their lawsuit challenging the state's law on counting prisoners at their last known address, rather than the prison in which they reside, when redistricting.

A Senate source, meanwhile, couldn't confirm the report, saying that the GOP is looking at all its options.

According to a City and State source, the lawsuit's possible untimely death (it was still in the appeals process) "locks in" 63 seats and the Republicans keeping their majority.

Sens. Joe Griffo and Patty Ritchie, as well as Ogdensburg Mayor Bill Nelson and Jefferson County Legislator Bobby Ferris, were plaintiffs on the suit. Tedra Cobb, a former St. Lawrence County lawmaker, was a defendant.

North country lawmakers lost thousands of residents because of the switch, but the blow wasn't as bad as originally anticipated.

If the lawsuit's dropped, it also means that counties won't be able to count prisoners at their last known address for the purposes of redistricting. The effect of one prison in a county district of 7,000 people is greatly magnified, obviously, but in Jefferson County, population growth in parts of the county could insulate legislators from having to deal with huge population losses.

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