Federal court ends Ohio redistricting fight, August primary to use rejected maps

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WTVG) - A panel of 3 federal judges is ordering Ohio to use state House and Senate maps already ruled unconstitutional by the state’s Supreme Court in a primary election that is set to happen on August 2.

The maps were approved by the Ohio Redistricting Commission during the third round of map drawing. The Supreme Court ruled that the maps, drawn by Republicans, unfairly favor the GOP.

The federal judges, in a 2-1 ruling, ordered that the state can only use the maps for this year’s elections.

The federal court previously decided to give Ohio a deadline of May 28 to approve a new plan. If the state failed, the judges said they would force Ohio to implement what became known as Map 3.

U.S. Circuit Judge Amul R. Thaper said the panel “chose the best of our bad options” after state officials “failed to act.”

Chief U.S. District Court Judge Algenon L. Marbley of the in his dissenting opinion, wrote that the federal court’s decision incentivized Republicans not to adopt a new plan.

Earlier this week, the Ohio Supreme Court ordered the commission to adopt a new set of maps by June 3.

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