House Minority Leader and Ohio Redistricting Commission member Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) today issued a statement after the Ohio Supreme Court struck down the state legislative maps adopted by the Redistricting Commission on March 28. A majority of Republican commissioners chose to abandon the bipartisan, transparent, independent map-drawing process ordered by the Ohio Supreme Court, and instead forced another vote on a last-minute secret gerrymandered plan.
“This ruling vindicates the rights of Ohio voters who have been utterly betrayed by certain Republican commissioners in four rounds of map-drawing. The fight for fair maps has been long and fraught, but we won’t give up, no matter how many times the majority Commissioners try to subvert democracy for their own partisan gain. The Court has strongly suggested that we get back to work using the independent map drawers’ plan and picking up where they left off to finish the job. I am ready to do just that.”
The Redistricting Commission now must redraw the state legislative maps by May 6. The state Court’s opinion urged restraint by the federal Court citing longstanding precedent.
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