Ohio Supreme Court rejects legislative maps again
For the second time, Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor, a Republican, joined with three Democratic justices to reject legislative maps that Republicans drew to disproportionately favor their candidates.
Advocates of redistricting reform hailed the decision as a resounding victory for Ohio voters who overwhelmingly approved changes to the state constitution to limit partisan line-drawing in 2015.
The maps could have given Republicans a 57-42 advantage in the House and a 20-13 advantage in the Senate
“This ruling sends a clear message to lawmakers in Ohio: they may not put politics over people," said attorney Freda Levenson, legal director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, who argued for opponents of the maps.
The court gave the commission until Feb. 17 to approve a new map that reflects the 54% Republican, 46% Democrat voting preferences split over the past decade.
Ohio Senate GOP spokesman John Fortney said Ohio faces “a constitutional crisis and election system chaos. Candidates have no specific direction regarding the districts for their campaigns and voters face the uncertainty of additional court ordered gerrymandering.”
The decision of the Ohio Supreme Court places Ohio's primary into massive uncertainty. The opinion also noted that the commission's failure places pressure on election officials and said the Legislature can move the May 3 primary date if necessary.
In a dissent, Republicans Pat DeWine and Sharon Kennedy criticized their fellow justices, accusing them of commandeering the map process and holding out until they get what they want.
Pat DeWine is the son of Gov. Mike DeWine, who is a member of the Ohio Redistricting Commission. The other members include Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Auditor Keith Faber, House Speaker Bob Cupp and Senate President Matt Huffman, all Republicans. The two Democrats on the panel are House Minority Leader Allison Russo and Sen. Vernon Sykes.
“It’s time for the Ohio Redistricting Commission to finally do their job: make maps that serve the people of Ohio rather than their own short sighted political interests," said Jen Miller of the League of Women Voters of Ohio, one of the plaintiffs in the case.
