COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman, R-Lima, will not go forward with a constitutional amendment to extend the state's redistricting deadlines.
Because of the expected delay of the U.S. Census data used to create new legislative and congressional maps, Huffman said he wanted voters to decide if they want lawmakers to have more time for negotiations and public input.
Ohio Democrats were opposed to the idea, wanting the Ohio Supreme Court to intervene.
Republicans need democratic support if they want to create a 10-year map.
"I think it would be a bit of a fool's errand to try to put this on the ballot, spend three months arguing about it and it doesn't pass," said Huffman.
On Tuesday, Ohio House Minority Leader Emilia Sykes, D-Akron, and Ohio Senate Minority Leader Kenny Yuko, D-Richmond Heights, sent Huffman a letter.
“Leader Yuko and I expressed serious concerns to our counterparts about rushing an amendment to Ohio’s constitution in a matter of days,” Sykes said in the statement. “It took several years for the redistricting language to be approved with the input of many Ohioans and a similar process would not have applied, leaving out the voices who matter the most —the people of Ohio.”