When the Ohio Supreme Court struck down the most recent set of gerrymandered General Assembly maps, we warned that the feeling of victory would not last long. Just as expected, on Friday, 5/27, in a 2-1 decision, the federal panel: 

• officially adopted the 3rd set of Ohio House and Senate maps for the 2022 Election (created by the Ohio Redistricting Commission on 2/24/22). 
• set August 2 as the date for Ohio’s second primary (for Ohio House and Senate races).

Yes, the maps the federal panel said we must use are the very same ones the Ohio Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional twice (the 3rd and 5th sets were identical)—or you could say three times since the 4th set of maps was almost exactly the same. (Read the 5/25/2022 Ohio Supreme Court decision here.)

There’s really no mystery as to what happened. The Republicans on the Ohio Redistricting Commission had a strategy and they stuck to it: refuse bipartisanship; work in secret; ignore the Ohio Constitution; reject mountains of informed and heartfelt public input; repeatedly submit gerrymandered maps; run out the clock. Their strategy worked well for their party. Not so well for Ohio voters, the Ohio Constitution, and democracy itself.  

There’s no hiding that this is a terrible outcome and it hurts. We hear, feel, and share your frustration and outrage! Despite heroic and selfless efforts by so many—we have been out-foxxed this time.  

But the fight for fair maps does indeed continue. 

• Lawsuits are ongoing over the congressional map
• We always knew this would be a decades-long journey
• We won in the court of public opinion
• We have a kick-ass corps of fair districts volunteers (that’s you)
• We will continue to organize, strategize, and act
• Map-making will begin again in 2023 [?]

We’re already turning our thoughts on how to improve the process. If you support amending Ohio’s Constitution to take the mapmaking away from elected officials, sign this petition, and join us at our next All Volunteer Huddle, Wednesday, June 8, at 6pm. 

As always, thanks for being part of the fight for fair maps and fair elections.