Dems Urge Redistricting Commission to Provide Feedback on State Legislative Map Proposal
COLUMBUS – Today, Ohio Redistricting Commission Co-Chair Sen. Vernon Sykes (D-Akron) and House Minority Leader and Commission member Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) sent a letter to the Republican members of the Commission to request feedback on their state legislative map proposal by 9 a.m. on February 17.
Democrats sent with the letter an updated pair of state legislative maps that moved eight census blocks from one district to another. The Democrats’ proposal was originally filed with the Ohio Supreme Court on January 28 and was uploaded to the Ohio Redistricting Commission website and presented to the press last week. The latest updates do not affect proportionality. Democrats’ proposal complies with the line-drawing rules and proportionality rules in the Constitution and the Court’s orders.
“The Court has given the Redistricting Commission clear orders to adopt constitutional maps. If you have map proposals, we urge you to release those as soon as possible so the public and Commissioners will be able to provide feedback,” Democrats wrote. “It is possible for us to draw constitutional maps and for us to work together as the Court has directed us to do. In fact, our proposal before the Commission has created constitutional state legislative maps.”
The Commission is scheduled to meet on February 17 at 1:30 p.m. in the House Finance Committee Room.
**EDITOR’S NOTE: Democrats’ Senate district proposal can be found here. Their House district proposal can be found here. A full copy of the letter is also attached.