Ohio Redistricting Commission approves new state legislature maps

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WTVG) - The Ohio Redistricting Commission approved yet another set of statehouse maps in a 4-3 vote on Monday night, just ahead of a midnight deadline. It’s the commission’s fourth attempt at state legislature maps after the Ohio Supreme Court rejected three prior sets of maps.

The newly-approved maps were based off of the third set of maps already deemed unconstitutional by the court, with some changes. The Republicans on the commission pushed through the tweaked maps instead of opting for the maps drawn by the independent mapmakers brought into the process over the last week.

Democrats and State Auditor Keith Faber voted against the tweaked maps. The maps will only last four years instead of ten because they were passed without bipartisan support.

“You have just hijacked that whole process in trying to force feed us with, again, the same disrespect for the public’s interest,” said State Senator Vernon Sykes, a Democratic member of the commission.

Ohio Democrats issued a condemnation of the newly-approved maps, accusing the Republicans on the commission of drawing the tweaked maps behind closed doors while the independent mapmakers worked to create new ones. You can read it in full here.

The plans will have to hold up in court to remain in place for the upcoming election unless a panel of three federal judges intervene.

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