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Republicans on Ohio Redistricting Commission ignore supreme court order for new maps by Monday

By: Jo Ingles | Statehouse News Bureau
Posted on: Monday, June 6, 2022

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Republicans on the panel charged with drawing new House and Senate district maps said they will ignore an order from the Ohio Supreme Court to produce a sixth attempt at new maps by Monday.

The Ohio Redistricting Commission meets. The picture is taken from a high angle looking down on them — The Ohio Redistricting Saga has taken many twists and turns that eventually entangled all three branches of government. [Statehouse News Bureau]

The decision comes as the state gets ready for an August primary for legislative districts after a federal court put in place maps ruled unconstitutional in March.

The Republican lawmakers appointed to replace Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima) and House Speaker Bob Cupp (R-Lima) on the Ohio Redistricting Commission said it won’t reconvene to adopt new maps by Monday.

Sen. Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) and Rep. Jeff LaRe (R-Violet Township) say in a letter and a statement to Democratic co-chair Sen. Vernon Sykes (D-Akron) that the Supreme Court can’t order the maps by a specific deadline, and that it would be confusing to voters to adopt new maps before the House and Senate primary on August 2.

That primary comes after a federal court ordered maps ruled unconstitutional in March be used this election cycle.

The panel’s two Democratic commissioners, Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) and Sykes, say in letters to LaRe they’ feel “deep disappointment” that the commission has failed and “violated its constitutional imperative to produce valid maps.