Ohio's electoral map drama continues after latest Supreme Court decision

Columbus, Ohio - Ohio's redistricting nightmare just got even messier on Wednesday after the state's Supreme Court once again rejected electoral maps for 2022 and beyond.

Ohio's electoral map is at a center of a draw-out dispute (stock image).
Ohio's electoral map is at a center of a draw-out dispute (stock image).  © IMAGO / Panthermedia

Third time definitely wasn't the charm in Ohio after the Supreme Court shot down proposed House and Senate maps for the state drawn by the Ohio Redistricting Commission, arguing that they were drawn to favor Republicans.

They passed without any Democratic support, meaning that they would have had a maximum lifespan of four years.

Republican Justice Maureen O'Connor once again swung the 4-3 decision to go back to the drawing board, the Columbus Dispatch reported.

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"The commission should retain an independent map drawer – who answers to all commission members, not only to the Republican legislative leaders – to draft a plan through a transparent process," the court wrote.

"Resolving this self-created chaos thus depends not on the number of hands on the computer mouse but, rather, on the political will to honor the people’s call to end partisan gerrymandering."

The Ohio Redistricting Commission has now been given a new deadline of March 28 to present their next proposal.

But the latest delay means Ohio will be hard-pressed to hold all their primary elections on May 3 according to schedule. They will likely either have to delay all elections until the summer, or split the vote for different offices.

Holding two separate the elections could cost an estimated $20 million to $25 million.

Cover photo: IMAGO / Panthermedia

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