COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Supreme Court on Monday rejected a second set of Ohio Statehouse district maps that retained strong Republican majorities as gerrymandered — and sent them back for a third try.

In yet another 4-3 ruling, the high court found the bipartisan Ohio Redistricting Commission’s second attempt at drawing the maps had again failed to pass constitutional muster. No Democrats supported either plan.

Moderate Republican Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor, who at 70 years old must leave the court Dec. 31 due to age limits, again provided a pivotal swing vote, joining the court’s three Democrats.

In another victory for voting rights and Democratic groups, the court gave the redistricting commission 10 days — until Feb. 17 — to pass a constitutional map. How that will go remains unclear. The Republican-dominated panel has failed twice already to reach bipartisan consensus despite the looming legal threats.

A combination of Republican foot-dragging and legal wrangling has now extended a process that was supposed to be completed last fall well into the 2022 primary season. The filing deadline for legislative candidates passed last week.

O’Connor also joined Democrats in court rulings against the first set of legislative maps and against the state’s congressional district map, both of which were ruled unconstitutional. The court on Jan. 14 also ordered the congressional map redrawn, giving lawmakers 30 days and, if they fail, returning the reins to the seven-member redistricting panel. That process is expected to begin this week.

The string of defeats for Ohio’s ruling Republicans comes amid the process of map-making process states must undertake once per decade to reflect population changes from the U.S. Census.

“Ohio’s voters, candidates and election system now face a constitutional crisis and election system chaos,” a spokesperson for the Ohio GOP said. “Candidates have no specific direction regarding the districts for their campaigns and voters face the uncertainty of additional court ordered gerrymandering.”

Citizen and voter groups see the ruling as yet another victory.

“Once again this is a victory for Ohio voters. The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled these maps are unfair,” said Jen Miller with the League of Women Voters of Ohio. “At the end of the day, our vote is sacred, so is the Ohio Constitution. The redistricting commission has to go back to the drawing board and do its best to keep communities whole.”