Republican leaders threaten democracy by ignoring constitutional deadline and court order

COLUMBUS –Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) issued the following statement after the Ohio Redistricting Commission failed to produce a new congressional map by the latest Ohio Supreme Court deadline. 

“It is unacceptable that the Republican Commissioners continue to ignore their constitutional duty to produce a fair, constitutional congressional map,” said Leader Russo. “Ohioans have had enough and will not be ignored. We won’t give up on our right to fair, constitutional maps where our voices are truly equal.”

On July 19, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled the latest congressional map unconstitutional and ordered the Ohio Redistricting Commission (ORC) to redraw a new map by Sept. 17. In spite of the clear order and Democratic Commissioners’ calls for action, Republican Commissioners refused to reconvene the Commission to comply with the Constitution and the Court’s order. 

Under Article 19 of the Ohio Constitution, the Supreme Court of Ohio has the authority to draw a new congressional map to be used in 2024. 

Ohio’s redistricting process has received extensive national press coverage, including: 

State Legislatures Are Torching Democracy: The New Yorker, August 2022
Maps in Four States Were Ruled Illegal Gerrymanders. They’re Being Used Anyway: The New York Times, August 2022