Ohio Supreme Court gives Redistricting Commission until Wednesday to explain lack of district maps

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WTVG) - The Ohio Redistricting Commission is in hot water with the state’s highest court after the Commission chose not to approve new state district maps by the Thursday deadline. The court has given the Commission until Noon on Wednesday to explain why they shouldn’t be held in contempt of court for not following the court’s order to redraw the maps by midnight on February 17th.

Following hours of discussion, the Commission chose to adjourn Thursday evening without an approved map on the table. Earlier in the day, Republicans on the Commission voted down a map proposed by their colleagues on the other side of the aisle but did not propose a new plan of their own. The two sides are now at an impasse with just 75 days to go before Ohio’s May primary election.

What happens next is so far up in the air. The Commission was given until midnight Thursday to approve new electoral maps for the General Assembly after their last two attempts were struck down by the court for being too biased toward the GOP. Under the Ohio Constitution, the maps must not favor any one party over another.

The Commission will reconvene to debate U.S. Congressional maps soon.

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