State Rep. Patton Announces House Approval of Bipartisan Congressional Redistricting Reform Initiative

COLUMBUS—State Representative Tom Patton (R-Strongsville) announced that the Ohio House has approved Senate Joint Resolution 5, paving the way for historic, bipartisan redistricting reform to now go before voters on the primary ballot on May 8th.

SJR 5 ensures that Ohio’s congressional map-making process features bipartisan support, keeps communities of interest whole and promotes districts that are compact and competitive.

The culmination of months of bipartisan talks among the House, Senate and engaged citizen groups, SJR 5 aims to implement a congressional redistricting system similar to Issue 1, a 2015 ballot initiative that changed the way state House and Senate districts are drawn. Ohioans approved that ballot initiative with over 70 percent of the vote.

If passed by voters in May, Ohio’s new redistricting system would require drawing a map that earns three-fifths support by each chamber of the General Assembly, including at least 50 percent support from the minority party.

Failure to meet that threshold would send the decision to the seven-member Redistricting Commission, consisting of appointees from the Governor, Secretary of State and State Auditor, as well as two Republicans and two Democrats from the Ohio House and Senate. The commission’s goal would be to create a 10-year map that earns majority approval from the commission and approval from at least two minority party members.

Further steps are also in place should the commission fail to meet that requirement, including ultimately the General Assembly approving a temporary map lasting for four years, after which time the process begins anew to create a six-year map.

Having passed both legislative chambers, SJR 5 now heads to the Secretary of State’s office to be filed as a ballot initiative.