Ohio Redistricting Commission approves new maps for Ohio General Assembly
Last week, just minutes after the constitutional deadline, the Ohio Redistricting Commission voted 5-2 to approve maps for new Ohio General Assembly Districts along party lines. Since the final vote did not have bipartisan support, under the ballot initiatives of 2015, the final approved district maps will be valid for 4 years, instead of the traditional 10 years. Many expect to see lawsuits filed over the coming weeks as interested parties continue to argue the constitutionality of these approved maps. Copies of the approved maps can be found here (House) and here (Senate), click on the maps submitted by Senate President Matt Huffman for Ohio.
While General Assembly maps have been approved by the Ohio Redistricting Commission, work is just beginning on the state’s Congressional redistricting map. The General Assembly has until September 30 to create a new Congressional map, which to pass must receive three-fifths of both chambers, and at least half of each caucus in each of those chambers. If the General Assembly misses the September 30 deadline, it will once again be up to the Redistricting Commission, who will have until October 31 to create a map that receives bipartisan support. If the Redistricting Commission cannot come to a bipartisan agreement on a map by the deadline, the process goes back to the General Assembly, where the legislature has until November 30 to approve a map. If the map does not reach the threshold of three-fifth and at least half of each caucus, the Congressional map will also only be approved for 4 years.
