COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Redistricting Commission has approved new boundaries for Ohio’s 15 U.S. House seats Wednesday, which will most likely result in another legal battle. 

The maps passed by a party-line vote, with the panel’s five Republican members all voting in favor while the two Democrats on the commission voted in opposition. 

During Wednesday’s hearing, Democrats offered a map they claimed would more accurately align with the political leanings of the state by giving the GOP an edge in eight of the 15 seats. That map, however, was voted down by all five Republicans. 

The Democrats then asked for more time to discuss the Republicans’ proposal but were turned down.

"They basically bulldozed their way forward and went with this map that I think, yet again, does not meet the court decision and the request of the court decision but also the constitution," said Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington.

Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman said he does not know if the Democrats plan had legal issues but that too little was offered too late.

"Maybe if we had seen this a week ago or two weeks ago or a month ago but what we saw a month ago was an 8-7 map which I wasn't going to support," Huffman said.

The GOP says its plan calls for 10 Republican-safe districts, three Democratic-safe districts and two toss-up districts that lean Democratic, likely resulting in a 10-5 GOP-favored map. Democrats argued that the maps proposed by Republicans were drawn in a way to favor the GOP. 

"There's actually more Democrat-leaning districts than there are in the current map. So we've made considerable changes from what existed before," said Ohio House Speaker Bob Cupp, a Lima-area Republican. 

Because the map did not receive bipartisan support, it only lasts for four years. Democrats maintain Republicans do not have the legal right to do what they did. 

"Under the Constitution, and the plain reading of the Constitution, this commission actually has to have bipartisan votes to even have a valid map come out of this commission," said Russo.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said otherwise. Jen Miller, League of Women Voters of Ohio executive director, who has been a plaintiff in previous redistricting lawsuits, said her organization is looking at filing another objection with the Ohio Supreme Court. 

"We are highly frustrated that the Ohio Redistricting Commission continues to disrespect the Ohio Constitution and Ohio voters. This map is better than previous versions but there are still far better congressional district plans that were presented to this commission that were not given the time and consideration that they deserved," said Miller.

The court previously ruled that a previous map, which would have given the GOP an edge in 12 out of 15 seats, was unconstitutional.

Wednesday's adopted map keeps districts in Cleveland and Columbus heavily Democratic while most of Columbus is contained in one district, paired with Westerville and sections of northeast Franklin County. Cleveland would also mostly be held in one district with the eastern Cuyahoga County suburbs. 

Cincinnati could be in a seat that leans Democratic, but is paired with heavily GOP-favored Warren County. Democrats would also be slight favorites in two other districts, one that covers the Toledo area and another in the Akron area.

The other 10 districts would be heavily Republican. In general, these districts are larger in geographical area. For instance, the GOP is favored in a district that spans from Lorain County in the Cleveland area all the way to Van Wert County along the Indiana border. 

Due to Ohio not growing as fast as other states, Ohio will lose one of its 16 U.S. House districts.

Democratic Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur's (OH-09) Toledo-area district could become more competitive with the new boundaries and she could face a tougher path to reelection. She has won her district with over 63% of the vote in 18 of the last 19 elections. Her district would only give Democrats a 1-point edge with the new boundaries.

She said she opposes the new map.

“One-Party-Rule Republicans in Columbus continue to disregard the will of Ohio voters, and ignore the bipartisan rulings of the Ohio Supreme Court. The same Republicans who profited off the largest public corruption scandal in Ohio's history are now scheming to enact one of the worst gerrymanders in the entire nation,” Kaptur said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Rep. Steve Chabot, a Cincinnati-area Republican who has won his last two elections by less than 7%, will see his district now slightly favor Democrats by a 2-point margin. 

“Congressman Chabot has always taken on the tough fights and won,” Chabot’s campaign adviser Jon Conradi said. “This year will be no different. The hardworking people of Ohio’s first district know they have a champion in Steve Chabot, who works tirelessly to deliver results for southwest Ohio communities, and small businesses.”

The new map will be filed with the Ohio Secretary of State in advance of the May 3 congressional primary. The Ohio Supreme Court could strike it down if or when it is legally challenged.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said  it will be a tight timeline for county boards of elections but if anyone can pull it off, it's them.

"And that's what we're going to give them a fighting chance of doing by getting that directive to them as soon as we can," LaRose said.

LaRose said if the Ohio Supreme Court rejects the legislative maps and/or the congressional map in a future legal challenge, then the ship will have sailed for those candidates to remain a part of the May 3 primary.