Federal court strikes down Ohio congressional maps

[demmiblue]

Source: The Hill

Federal court strikes down Ohio congressional maps

A panel of federal judges on Friday ruled Ohio legislators violated the Constitution in drawing congressional district lines that unfairly hindered Democratic chances at winning seats.

The three judges, who sit on the U.S. District Court in Cincinnati, ruled in favor of the A. Philip Randolph Institute, which sued claiming the districts unfairly pack Democratic voters into some districts and crack them between others, diluting their political power.

That test, becoming known in redistricting parlance as cracking and packing, has been the standard other judicial panels have used to strike down district lines in Michigan, Wisconsin, Maryland and North Carolina.

Friday’s ruling is similar to one issued last week in Michigan, where a court struck down congressional and legislative district lines. The three judges said Ohio state legislators had gone too far in drawing lines that aided Republican candidates.

Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/442014-federal-court-strikes-down-ohio-congressional-maps

[NCjack]

1. The court should direct a non-partisan group to begin now

preparing new congressional district maps. That way, there will be maps to use when the deadline approaches and the GOP map mappers announce that they cannot complete their tasks in time for the primaries and election.

[11 Bravo]

2. Repubs are counting on the case finding its way to "Trump's" Supreme Court.

[mountain grammy]

3. 52% of the votes get you 75% representation

sounds like republican math to me. They sure do know how to cheat.

[sandensea]

4. 7 or 8 years too late - but better late than never.

Great news. Thanks for sharing.

Here's hoping this ruling can make it through the Extreme Court.

[DeanMH]

5. Too Little Too Late

Maybe, and that's a big maybe, since he's gotten into the national limelight as a poster boy for the defunct Tea Party and a poster boy from Trump; maybe we can finally vote that brainless twit Jim Jordan out of office.

My county in Ohio has three different voting districts dividing it up. Granted it is historically a Ohio farmland county that goes Republican but we did make headway In '08 and '12.

Obama ran a brilliant campaign in Ohio. He had national workers in each county. I helped man the phones, canvas and stuff envelopes both elections. Our goal was to take our 56% GOP and 44% Dem county and pick up just 2%. We managed to pick up 4%. Many of the farmland right wing Republican counties did the same thing. And Obama carried Ohio.

Part of the reason we have Trump is because Clinton was arrogant enough to believe the polls and never stepped foot in Ohio. I had to fight to get a Clinton yard sign. Oh, she did send Bill but people in Ohio won't forget the blue dress. That hurt her.

Thank God the gerrymandering to suit the GOP will end.

[DeminPennswoods]

6. Is this the 6th Circuit?

Seems like it, and if so, it's one of the most conservative US Circuit Courts which makes this an interesting decision.

[not_the_one]

7. republicans depended on the gerrymandering

Now, after 2016 and 2018, they will depend on the fact that Putin will be the one reporting the final vote counts. They worked the kinks out with their hacking of voter databases, and gained access to actual vote process/software.

Farfetched? Just you wait.

That is why the ballot must be paper, with all the proper verification and monitoring, and the internet MUST be removed from the process.

So what if it is more time consuming and tedious. That is the way it was done 50 to 60 years ago, and until we can come up with a tamper proof working alternative, we can do it again. Our national existence is worth it.

[cstanleytech]

8. Frankly the people that gerrymander no matter what party they are in belong in prison in

my opinion as they are screwing over the citizens and it should not be tolerated.

[Eugene]

9. Ohio appeals ruling finding House map unconstitutional

Source: Associated Press

Ohio appeals ruling finding House map unconstitutional

May 6, 2019

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio is seeking to stay an order requiring a new congressional map be drawn by next month after a court ruling found its Republican-drawn congressional districts unconstitutional.

An appeal was filed Monday on behalf of GOP Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Republican legislative leaders.

A panel of federal judges issued their ruling Friday and ordered the state to draw a new map in time for the 2020 elections. The judges — two nominated by Democratic presidents, one by a Republican — ordered a proposed new map by June 14

The ruling, if it stands, could be an important victory for Democrats in a key battleground state. They hope redrawn boundaries help them pick up House seats and deliver the states’ delegates for a Democratic presidential nominee in 2020.

https://apnews.com/148dbe121ae941b1a55625d94edbd7ee