by J.D. Davidson
The Ohio Supreme Court struck down a fourth set of state legislative district maps Thursday, ordering the Ohio Redistricting Commission to develop and adopt an entirely new set of maps by May 6.
The ruling declared the fourth set of maps invalid in its entirety. The new plan must be filed with Secretary of State Frank LaRose by 9 a.m. May 6 and filed with the court by noon the same day.
Republicans on the Ohio Redistricting Commission passed the fourth set of maps – a modified version of state legislative districts previously ruled unconstitutional by the court – after bypassing the efforts of two independent map makers it hired at a rate of $450 an hour with a cap of $49,000 for each.
The Republican members of the commission – Gov. Mike DeWine; LaRose; State Auditor Keith Faber; Senate President Matt Huffman, R-Lima; and House Speaker Bob Cupp, R-Lima – said they believed the fourth set of maps did not contain constitutional violations and met proportionality required by the court.
The Ohio Supreme Court ruled, 4-3, on March 16 the commission’s third attempt at state legislative district maps unfairly favored Republicans, saying the commission has attempted three sets of maps without input from Democrats on any, instead using GOP staffers to draft each map.
The court also suggested, but did not order, an independent map drawer be engaged, but the commission holds the responsibility to draw and approve maps.
Aside from claiming the process was not transparent, the court focused on toss-up districts and said they could not count to the proportionality it required in previous rulings.
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An Ohio native, J.D. Davidson is a veteran journalist with more than 30 years of experience in newspapers in Ohio, Georgia, Alabama and Texas. He has served as a reporter, editor, managing editor and publisher. Davidson is a regional editor for The Center Square.
Photo “Ohio Supreme Court” by Sixflashphoto CC BY-SA 4.0.
