08/17/2023

Misrepresentative Lawmaking Will Continue in Ohio Until Voters Have Fair Maps

In this commentary, the author highlights how gerrymandering must end

Ohio has a new round of redistricting coming up this fall. With a new right-wing majority on the Ohio Supreme Court and 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 percent to 45 percent Republican-to-Democratic split among safe seats in both chambers of the Statehouse with a maximized number of competitive seats split evenly between both parties.

What is Ohio likely to get? The same gerrymandered Statehouse maps that we have now or worse that fail to win bipartisan support on the Ohio Redistricting Commission but get implemented for four years after being rubber-stamped by a partisan Republican Ohio Supreme Court. Lawmakers added party labels to the state high court in 2022.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Ohio Capital Journal.