The Fair Districts Ohio coalition rejects the claim that the latest congressional map adopted along party lines by the Ohio Redistricting Commission meets the requirements set forth in the Ohio Constitution.

“We are deeply disappointed that the Ohio Redistricting Commission has once again failed to pass a Congressional district plan that upholds the expectations set forth by voters at the ballot box in 2018. Nearly 75% of Ohioans voted for an open, transparent, and bipartisan Congressional redistricting process that resulted in districts that served voters, not the short-sighted interests of political operatives.

Despite the Ohio Supreme Court ruling, the requirements laid out in the Ohio Constitution, and the overwhelming mandate from Ohioans in demanding a Congressional map that upholds the right of every voter to have fair representation, the Commission has once again adopted a partisan gerrymandered map. The process was once again rushed and one-sided, with the new map released just minutes before the hearing started, giving the public no opportunity to analyze, review, or suggest improvements. Specific fixes offered by the minority party members of Commission were ignored, and voter advocates had no chance to testify.

The latest Congressional map adopted by the Ohio Redistricting Commission does not comply with the anti-gerrymandering provisions in the Ohio Constitution or redistricting best practices. The map is full of odd-shaped, sprawling districts that fail to keep communities of interest together, ultimately diluting the power of people’s votes. Voters expected and deserve much better.

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