gerrymandering
Ohio Statehouse redistricting stalls as commission can’t come up with co-chairs
In a move that was somehow both shocking and unsurprising to many, the Ohio Redistricting Commission wasn’t quite organized enough yet to hold an organizational meeting on Wednesday. The meeting was supposed to be fairly simple: a swearing-in of members, a roll call of attendees, and the presentation of co-chairs to take over the commission’s […]
As Ohio Statehouse redistricting begins again, mixed opinions on whether things will change
The Ohio Redistricting Commission will meet on Wednesday for the first time since May 2022 to discuss Ohio Statehouse voting districts. After well over a year of inaction, and five different Ohio Supreme Court rejections, the commission comes back to work with heavy criticism of previous maps, and a mixed amount of optimism among anti-gerrymandering […]
Ohio voters can expect to get hosed again by gerrymandering in upcoming redistricting charade
As Ohio gears up for another round of Statehouse redistricting, Republican politicians’ gerrymandering games never really ended — they were just intentionally paused to run out the clock on a full, fair, transparent, and good faith process. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has called for the Ohio Redistricting Commission to reconvene on Wednesday, Sept. 13. Ohio […]
Challengers ask Ohio Supreme Court to dismiss congressional redistricting case
The court challengers in a case against Ohio’s U.S. Congressional district map seem to be backing down from the current legal fight. Attorney Don McTigue represents anti-gerrymandering groups fighting against the congressional map approved by the Ohio Redistricting Commission, which was rejected as unconstitutionally gerrymandered in a 2022 decision by a bipartisan majority on the […]
Ohio Secretary of State says redistricting urgent after year of inaction
It’s been more than a year since the Ohio Redistricting Commission met to adopt a Statehouse redistricting map. But on Aug. 30, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said the work urgently needs to be finished by the end of September. In a letter to Gov. Mike DeWine and other members of the Ohio Redistricting […]
Ohio redistricting up in the air as attorney general says governor must reconstitute commission
Update 8/30 4:45 p.m. – Governor Mike DeWine’s office announced Wednesday that the governor will reconvene the Ohio Redistricting Commission on Sept. 13 at 10 a.m., which was the same day the commission had previously scheduled to start work. The meeting will be held in the Rhodes State Office Tower’s lobby hearing room. According to the […]
Ohio Redistricting Commission set to begin work again
Two years on from the first attempt at congressional and statehouse redistricting in Ohio, a commission of elected officials is set to begin again next month. The Ohio Redistricting Commission announced it will meet on Sept. 13 “for organizational purposes and to begin the process of drafting a General Assembly redistricting plan,” according to an […]
Ohio AG rejects anti-gerrymandering ballot effort that would create citizen redistricting commission
The proposed constitutional amendment to prevent gerrymandering in Ohio has been rejected for being “confusing and vague” by Attorney General Dave Yost. This, however, is relatively common for first-time submissions. Coalition Citizens Not Politicians has put forward a constitutional amendment for the November 2024 ballot. The proposal creates the 15-member Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission (OCRC) […]
As redistricting debate emerges again, Ohio Gov. DeWine says politicians shouldn’t draw maps
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said Monday the state’s current redistricting system “doesn’t work very well,” and while he doesn’t think politicians like him should get to decide the maps, his office has some initial qualms with a new proposal to create an independent commission of citizens to redraw the state’s districts. The issue of further […]
Former Ohio Chief Justice continues fight against gerrymandered maps
When her Ohio Supreme Court decisions were ignored by Republicans, former Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor vowed to fix what she calls a broken system. She is now the face of a bipartisan movement to stop gerrymandering by overhauling the redistricting system. Once the most powerful woman in the state, O’Connor was age-limited out of the Court. “What […]
In many ways, Ohio Sec. of State LaRose’s troubles are symbolic of his party’s, experts say
It used to be a cliche in American politics that Democrats fall in love, while Republicans fall in line. It now might be hard to find somebody Democrats are universally in love with. But under Donald Trump, the Republican imperative to fall in line is stronger than ever — even if it means taking positions […]
Misrepresentative lawmaking will continue in Ohio until voters have fair maps
Ohio has a new round of redistricting coming up this fall. With a new right-wing majority on the Ohio Supreme Court and power-mad Ohio Republicans controlling both chambers of the legislature and the Ohio Redistricting Commission, prospects aren’t looking good for fair maps. What would representative and fair maps look like? About a 55% to […]