Ohio Supreme Court strikes down congressional map, forcing another round of drawing [View all]
Source: Columbus Dispatch
The Ohio Supreme Court struck down the state's congressional district map, saying Republicans violated the Ohio Constitution by drawing districts that favored GOP candidates.
Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor was, once again, a key vote in the 4-3 decision to reject the map, which would have given Republicans a 12-3 advantage in a state that leans Republican.
"When the dealer stacks the deck in advance, the house usually wins," wrote Justice Michael Donnelly in the court's opinion. "That perhaps explains how a party that generally musters no more than 55% of the statewide popular vote is positioned to reliably win anywhere from 75 percent to 80% of the seats in the Ohio congressional delegation. By any rational measure, that skewed result just does not add up."
Now, Ohio lawmakers will be sent back to the drawing board to craft a new map within 30 days. If they can't find a solution, the Ohio Redistricting Commission will have 30 days to do so. Mapmakers face a tight turnaround because candidates must file paperwork to run by March 4.