COLUMBUS, Ohio — Litigants and respondents of the legislative redistricting case filed their responses with the Ohio Supreme Court in regards to House Minority Leader Allison Russo and Sen. Vernon Sykes' request to move the May 3 primary.
Russo and Sykes asked the court to move the primary to June 28 or later.
The National Redistricting Action Fund, led by former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, said the primary should be moved later than June 28.
The League of Women Voters of Ohio said it doesn't oppose moving primary as long as it’s only for the General Assembly.
The Ohio Organizing Collaborative said the court has power to move the primary but asked to wait to see new GA plan before ordering Secretary of State Frank LaRose to hold the primary on a different date.
Senate President Matt Huffman and House Speaker Robert Cupp, on behalf of the Ohio Redistricting Commission, said the court does not have the power to change the primary date.
The Ohio Redistricting Commission agreed to meet each day through next Monday’s deadline to submit a new set of legislative maps. The map is being used in the upcoming May 3 primary, however if struck down, LaRose said in the past that congressional candidates could not take part in the election.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The previous headline “Ohio Redistricting Commission receives responses to request to move the May 3 primary election” has been corrected to say “Ohio Supreme Court receives responses to request to move the May 3 primary election.” (March 23, 2022)