(The Center Square) – While the Ohio Redistricting Commission continues to wait for Republican members to select a co-chairman, commission Democrats presented proposed maps they say meet constitutional requirements Tuesday.
Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio, D-Lakewood, and House Minority Leader Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, said the proposed maps meet proportionality by creating 14 Democrat and 19 GOP districts and 43 Democrat and 56 Republican House districts.
“We’re here today to show the people that we are here to work for them, that we are here to work with the majority, and that when we put petty politics aside, there’s no excuse for us to not deliver fair, constitutional maps this time,” Russo said. “That’s why today we’re excited to introduce what we call the Antonio-Russo Maps. They’re a set of maps we believe are constitutional, proportional to reflect Ohioans’ voices and votes, and are the best way forward to serve all of us. In short, they are maps that comply with the Ohio Supreme Court’s orders and map concepts that have been developed with Republican legislative feedback.”
The Ohio Constitution requires districts to closely correspond to the statewide preference of voters over the last 10 years.
The commission consists of Republican members Gov. Mike DeWine, Secretary of State Frank LaRose, State Auditor Keith Faber, Rep. Jeff LaRe and Sen. Rob McColley, along with Democratic members Antonio and Russo.
The commission met Sept. 13, with members taking the oath of office as the only action. DeWine asked each party to select co-chairs by last Thursday for a proposed meeting Friday. Democrats did, but Republicans have yet to choose a leader, forcing DeWine not to call the Friday meeting.
Despite LaRose saying a deadline this Friday is needed to meet constitutional voting requirements for spring primary elections, the commission does not have a meeting scheduled, according to its website.
“The dysfunction of our Republican counterparts on the commission has become a national embarrassment for Ohio,” Antonio said. “Their inability to agree on a co-chair hinders progress and obstructs what is meant to be a fair and democratic process. Ohioans deserve better than this GOP infighting, acting out a proxy leadership battle while losing focus on what is really at stake – drawing fair maps that reflect the voters and their values.”
Emails to DeWine, LaRose and Faber were not returned.
As previously reported by The Center Square, state legislative maps last for 10 years if at least two members of each political party vote for the proposal. Each map presented previously received support from only the five Republican members of the commission. Neither of the two Democrats voted for any proposed map.
Eventually, a federal court implemented maps, twice ruled unconstitutional by the Ohio Supreme Court, used in a second primary in August 2022.
In May 2018, Ohio voters approved a constitutional amendment that was expected to create a bipartisan redistricting commission. The commission consists of seven members – a member appointed by the Senate president, the House speaker, Senate minority leader and House minority leader, the governor, state auditor and the secretary of state.
