COLUMBUS, Ohio — As the state awaits the fate of the legislative maps in the Ohio Supreme Court, the deadline is approaching for the General Assembly to redraw a congressional district map. The legislature has yet to make any proposals public, however, voting rights groups have an idea of how the district lines should be drawn.

What You Need To Know

  • Fair Districts Ohio, a non-partisan coalition of redistricting advocates, released a "Model Congressional Map" Thursday

  • The map would create six Republican and three Democratic safe districts as well as six "competitive districts"

  • A professor who independently reviewed the map said it's constitutional and should be considered for adoption by the General Assembly

In a virtual press conference Thursday, Fair Districts Ohio, a non-partisan coalition of redistricting advocates, released a "Model Congressional Map."

"Overall, this district plan is proportional, compact and respects communities of interest and creates new competitive districts throughout the state," said Paul Nieves, who helped draw the map.

Fair Districts Ohio said its map would create six Republican and three Democratic safe districts as well as six "competitive districts." Four of the six competitive districts lean Democratic and could result in an 8-7 map favoring Republicans. That would coincide with the 54-46 percentage breakdown of how Ohioans have voted the last 10 years.

"The reason that we wanted to make sure that we put this 'Model Map' out is that it deprives the state legislature or the leadership of the excuse that a good map isn't possible," said Common Cause Ohio Executive Director Catherine Turcer.

Marc Clauson, Ph.D., a history and law professor at Cedarville University, independently reviewed the map. He said Fair Districts Ohio's map is constitutional and should be considered for adoption by the General Assembly.

"If they really want to be sure they pass constitutional muster with the Ohio Supreme Court, they would probably be wise to adopt this map. They would still survive very well, I think, as a Republican Party overall without unduly upsetting the court," said Clauson.

The Ohio Supreme Court previously rejected a four-year map that Republican lawmakers passed in November which would have favored them in at least 12 of 15 congressional districts. That could have guaranteed them 80 percent of the representation. The General Assembly has until February 13th to pass a new map.

Otherwise, the same seven-member Ohio Redistricting Commission that has drawn the state legislative maps would have another 30 days to do so.

Related Stories