(Reuters) – New York Democrats drew maps for Congressional districts in violation of the state constitution. They favored Republicans over Democrats, a court of appeal ruled Thursday. This decision has implications across the nation.

This panel, consisting of five judges each, upheld a major part of a decision by a lower court. It found that the district maps – which are drawn such that the state has only four Republican-dominated Congressional seats instead of the eight currently – were designed to favor one party.

Many Democrats hoped the new New York district boundaries would result in more Democrats being elected to Congress in November. This was in addition to anticipated losses in Texas, and other states.

Republicans want to control the U.S. House of Representatives in November. Currently, Democrats hold a narrow majority.

Drawing partisan districts maps by the parties is an American practice. It gives enormous power to the party holding a state legislature. However, New York has been one of the few states that have banned this practice.

A plurality of judges from the Fourth Judicial Department of the Appellate Division ruled that the maps are unconstitutional as they were created in an essentially single-party process favoring Democrats rather than Republicans.

According to The New York Times, Democratic politicians such as Governor Kathy Hochul will appeal against the decision to the highest court of the state as soon as next week.