Leader Russo: Redistricting Commission can deliver maps that reflect the will of Ohio voters

Leader Russo: Redistricting Commission can deliver maps that reflect the will of Ohio voters

Says every Commissioner must commit to drawing fair maps with at least 45 Democratic House seats and 15 Democratic Senate seats 

COLUMBUS–Ohio Redistricting Commission member and House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) today reiterated the importance of following the Constitution and the Court’s decision by drawing fair state legislative maps that reflect the statewide preferences of Ohio voters who voted 54% Republican and 46% Democratic over the last ten years. This requires the Commission to draw maps with at least 45 Democratic House seats and 15 Democratic Senate seats. During yesterday’s Commission meeting, Democrats explained that some Republican commission members have not acknowledged that the Commission is required to achieve the 54-46 requirement from the Supreme Court, which has slowed down map-drawing negotiations. 

“It is not in dispute that this Commission can produce fair, 10-year state legislative maps that keep communities together and reflect the 54-46 statewide partisan preferences of Ohio’s voters. That is what the Constitution requires, and that is what the Ohio Supreme Court clearly instructed us to do. To achieve this objective, the Republican Commission members must acknowledge their duty to draw maps that would create at least 45 Democratic House seats and 15 Democratic Senate seats. Ohioans are counting on us to deliver fair, constitutional maps by the Court deadline, and it is our job to deliver.”