Ohio Supreme Court
GOP says ‘attempts’ on partisanship make Ohio Statehouse maps constitutional
The GOP members of the Ohio Redistricting Commission have said objections to their maps have no merit because they made their best attempt at politically balancing the maps. Democrats on the commission filed their own response in favor of invalidating the second version of the maps, just as those who objected to them want. The […]
Legislature on the clock to redraw Ohio’s unconstitutional Congressional district map
As the state awaits the Ohio Supreme Court’s decision on the second round of legislative maps, the state legislature is on a timeline to revise the invalid congressional map as well. The state’s high court decided in a 4-3 decision on Jan. 13 that a congressional map passed by the General Assembly was not valid, […]
Groups say Ohio legislative maps still violate constitution
The newest maps approved by the Ohio Redistricting Commission remain unconstitutional and “grossly disproportionate,” according to objections filed by anti-gerrymandering groups. The ORC now has until Friday to respond to three objections made to maps they adopted in a Saturday meeting last week, according to an Ohio Supreme Court directive released on Wednesday. The League […]
Is meeting all criteria while drawing fair and constitutional maps impossible? Hardly
In order for redistricting maps to pass Ohio Constitution muster, multiple criteria are in play. In addition to federal requirements under the Voting Rights Act, the state constitution as amended by voters in 2015 and 2018 requires state legislative and U.S. congressional district maps be compact, contiguous, competitive, preserve a certain number of whole counties, […]
Ohio Supreme Court rejects congressional map days after Statehouse maps struck down
In a 4-3 decision, the Ohio Supreme Court struck down the state’s new U.S. Congressional map on Friday, saying three counties in particular were “unduly split” by the Ohio General Assembly. “We hold that the congressional-district plan is invalid in its entirety because it unduly favors the Republican Party and disfavors the Democratic Party in […]
Ohio Supreme Court: Legislative maps unconstitutional
The Ohio Supreme Court sided with challengers of Ohio House and Senate redistricting maps, saying new maps must be drawn within 10 days. In a ruling released Wednesday afternoon, the Supreme Court announced a 4-3 decision, saying the Ohio Redistricting Commission “did not attempt to meet the standards set forth” in the legislative redistricting process […]
Judge puts federal redistricting discrimination suit on hold
A U.S. district court judge put a federal redistricting lawsuit on hold Wednesday, treating a pause for a pair of Mahoning County residents’ discrimination lawsuit as “the most efficient use of judicial resources.” Judge John R. Adams, of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio Eastern Division, said the lawsuit relies on […]
Supreme Court dissenting justices on redistricting mock Ohioans’ rights to judicial review
The argument of the three Republican supreme court justices dissenting against the anti-gerrymandering opinion issued by the court 4-3 Wednesday appears to be: Republican politicians are allowed to rig the game in their favor against the wishes of Ohio voters and in violation of the Ohio Constitution, and the Ohio Supreme Court has no authority […]
Buckeye Institute, DeWine, defend ending pandemic unemployment assistance
A think-tank in favor of Gov. Mike DeWine’s decision to end supplemental unemployment assistance despite a continued pandemic impacting the economy is yet again pushing the Ohio Supreme Court to support the decision. The governor himself is also weighing in. The federal supplemental assistance from The CARES Act expired on Sept. 4, 2021 though DeWine […]
Federal lawsuit seeks immediate change to congressional maps
As the Ohio Supreme Court weighs its decision on congressional and legislative redistricting, a group involved in a federal lawsuit wants to see the maps changed immediately. Parties suing the state accusing the Ohio Redistricting Commission and legislative leaders of ignoring racial data and federal anti-discrimination laws have asked a U.S. District Court to demand […]
Congressional redistricting hits the Ohio Supreme Court
The case of congressional redistricting was heard by the Ohio Supreme Court on Tuesday, where arguments about reforms put in place by voters and the data used by the General Assembly to draw maps framed consideration of districts going forward. Ben Stafford, an attorney representing the National Redistricting Action Fund’s challenge of the congressional maps […]
Congressional redistricting to be argued before New Year
The Ohio Supreme Court will hear arguments on both congressional redistricting lawsuits before the new year begins. In a filing on Friday, the court announced oral arguments for Adams v. DeWine and League of Women Voters v. Ohio Redistricting Commission, which will happen on Dec. 28 at 9 a.m. via videoconferencing. Adams v. DeWine is […]