We collect cookies to analyze our website traffic and performance; we never collect any personal data.Cookies Policy
Accept
Michigan Post
Search
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Michigan
  • World
  • Politics
  • Top Story
  • Business
    • Business
    • Economics
    • Real Estate
    • Startups
    • Autos
    • Crypto & Web 3
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Beauty
    • Art & Books
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Education
Reading: Ohio Supreme Court Strikes Down Republican Gerrymander of Map
Share
Font ResizerAa
Michigan PostMichigan Post
Search
  • Home
  • Trending
  • Michigan
  • World
  • Politics
  • Top Story
  • Business
    • Business
    • Economics
    • Real Estate
    • Startups
    • Autos
    • Crypto & Web 3
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Beauty
    • Art & Books
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
  • Education
© 2024 | The Michigan Post | All Rights Reserved.
Michigan Post > Blog > Politics > Ohio Supreme Court Strikes Down Republican Gerrymander of Map
Politics

Ohio Supreme Court Strikes Down Republican Gerrymander of Map

By Editorial Board Published January 14, 2022 7 Min Read
Share
Ohio Supreme Court Strikes Down Republican Gerrymander of Map
14ohio maps 1 facebookJumbo

The Ohio Supreme Court struck down a congressional map skewed to favor Republicans on Friday, ruling that it was the equivalent of a dealer stacking the deck, and sent it back to state lawmakers to try again.

The map would have given Republicans an advantage of 12 seats to three in elections for the House of Representatives, even though the G.O.P. has lately won only about 55 percent of the statewide popular vote.

“This is not what Ohio voters wanted or expected,’’ the court said of the map.

Mapmakers in Ohio are not allowed to unduly favor one party in redistricting, after voters overwhelmingly passed an amendment to the Ohio Constitution in 2018. The proposed map was drawn by Republicans in the Legislature and passed without Democratic support, and the court rejected it in a 4-to-3 decision.

“When the dealer stacks the deck in advance, the house usually wins,” wrote Justice Michael Donnelly for the majority, adding that the Republicans’ plan was “infused with undue partisan bias.”

The constitutional amendment was an effort to end partisan gerrymandering in the state, and the voting rights groups that brought the suit, including the League of Women Voters of Ohio, argued that Republican lawmakers had ignored the law.

Redistricting at a Glance

Every 10 years, each state in the U.S is required to redraw the boundaries of their congressional and state legislative districts in a process known as redistricting.

The court agreed, holding that the evidence “makes clear beyond all doubt that the General Assembly did not heed the clarion call sent by Ohio voters to stop political gerrymandering.”

When the case was heard last month, Republicans argued that the districts were fair and met the Constitution’s demand to not to be “unduly” favorable, and that Senator Sherrod Brown, a Democrat re-elected in 2018, would have carried eight of the 15 new districts. Republicans further said that they had drawn six competitive House seats.

In signing the map into law in November, Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican facing a primary challenge from his right this year, called the G.O.P. plan “a fair, compact and competitive map.”

But the court strongly disagreed. It said the Republicans’ plan violated the law by splitting Democratic-leaning counties in order to dilute their votes, including Hamilton County, which includes Cincinnati. Hamilton County was split between three newly drawn districts “for no apparent reason other than to confer an undue partisan advantage on the Republican Party,’’ the court said.

A spokesman for Republican leaders in the Legislature said they were reviewing the court’s opinion.

Lawmakers have 30 days to overhaul the congressional maps. If they fail, the mapmaking passes to the Ohio Redistricting Commission, which would be given another 30 days. But there is a tighter deadline looming: March 4, when candidates must file paperwork to run.

The court’s decision came two days after it threw out Republican-drawn maps for new state House and Senate districts.

In both cases, Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor, a Republican, joined three Democratic justices to overturn the maps.

A congressional map acceptable to the court could give Democrats two to three more seats in Ohio, some analysts said.

Understand How U.S. Redistricting Works


Card 1 of 8

What is redistricting? It’s the redrawing of the boundaries of congressional and state legislative districts. It happens every 10 years, after the census, to reflect changes in population.

How does it work? The census dictates how many seats in Congress each state will get. Mapmakers then work to ensure that a state’s districts all have roughly the same number of residents, to ensure equal representation in the House.

Who draws the new maps? Each state has its own process. Eleven states leave the mapmaking to an outside panel. But most — 39 states — have state lawmakers draw the new maps for Congress.

If state legislators can draw their own districts, won’t they be biased? Yes. Partisan mapmakers often move district lines — subtly or egregiously — to cluster voters in a way that advances a political goal. This is called gerrymandering.

Is gerrymandering legal? Yes and no. In 2019, the Supreme Court ruled that the federal courts have no role to play in blocking partisan gerrymanders. However, the court left intact parts of the Voting Rights Act that prohibit racial or ethnic gerrymandering.

A U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2019 that partisan mapmaking could not be challenged in federal courts means that state courts are now the remaining judicial avenue to contest partisan gerrymandering — at least in states like Ohio where the Constitution bans it.

A case headed to North Carolina’s Supreme Court also seeks to overturn a G.O.P. gerrymander. Republicans there would control as many as 11 of the state’s 14 House seats with the new maps, compared to the party’s current advantage of eight seats to five. A lower court on Tuesday upheld the maps.

The state court cases are playing out in a landscape of diminishing prospects for Democrats and voting rights groups seeking to rein in partisan gerrymandering. Broad voting rights legislation in Congress supported by President Biden and his party, which would curtail gerrymandering, received a near-fatal blow this week from Senator Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona Democrat, who said she would not support changing the filibuster rule to pass it.

In Ohio, Democrats celebrated the court decision. “Once again, the Ohio Supreme Court did what the Legislature refused to do — listened to the will of Ohio voters,’’ Elizabeth Walters, chair of the Ohio Democratic Party, said in a statement. “Any map that further rigs our state in favor of one party over another is unacceptable and we’ll be watching closely.”

TAGGED:The Washington Mail
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Email Copy Link Print

HOT NEWS

Shohei Ohtani wows early, however Dodgers’ bullpen falters in loss to Astros

Shohei Ohtani wows early, however Dodgers’ bullpen falters in loss to Astros

Sports
July 6, 2025
Reform UK MP James McMurdock comes out combating after self-suspension – as rivals gloat

Reform UK MP James McMurdock comes out combating after self-suspension – as rivals gloat

On Thursday, Reform UK's Zia Yusuf was gloating {that a} hard-left occasion led by Jeremy…

July 6, 2025
Protesters "mourn democracy" at Lansing Capitol

Protesters "mourn democracy" at Lansing Capitol

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) -- A whole bunch of individuals took to the Capitol this afternoon…

July 6, 2025
The 13 Finest Websites to Store for Furnishings On-line

The 13 Finest Websites to Store for Furnishings On-line

We might obtain a portion of gross sales if you are going to buy a…

July 6, 2025
Oasis tour: What you want to know – and why Cardiff is the primary cease

Oasis tour: What you want to know – and why Cardiff is the primary cease

Oasis are set to kick off their reunion tour in Cardiff this weekend, with hundreds…

July 6, 2025

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

UK restores diplomatic ties with Syria

The UK has re-established diplomatic ties with Syria, David Lammy has stated, as he made the primary go to to…

Politics
July 6, 2025

One other tantrum from the Labour backbenches is inevitable

In widespread with many mother and father throughout the nation, this is a dialog that I've with my younger daughter…

Politics
July 6, 2025

UK might ship additional capabilities to Center East, minister says

The UK might ship additional capabilities to the Center East if vital, a minister has recommended after Iran launched a…

Politics
June 23, 2025

Labour MPs desk ‘reasoned modification’ in try and halt welfare invoice

MPs who haven't but gone public with their criticisms are being inspired to assist a delay to evaluate the affect…

Politics
June 23, 2025

Welcome to Michigan Post, an esteemed publication of the Enspirers News Group. As a beacon of excellence in journalism, Michigan Post is committed to delivering unfiltered and comprehensive news coverage on World News, Politics, Business, Tech, and beyond.

Company

  • About Us
  • Newsroom Policies & Standards
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Careers
  • Media & Community Relations
  • Accessibility Statement

Contact Us

  • Contact Us
  • Contact Customer Care
  • Advertise
  • Licensing & Syndication
  • Request a Correction
  • Contact the Newsroom
  • Send a News Tip
  • Report a Vulnerability

Term of Use

  • Digital Products Terms of Sale
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Settings
  • Submissions & Discussion Policy
  • RSS Terms of Service
  • Ad Choices

© 2024 | The Michigan Post | All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?