Republicans to offer redistricting map as panel reconvenes
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Julie Carr Smyth
Areeqe Hammad, of Cleveland, testifies at the first public hearing of the Ohio Redistricting Commission at Cleveland State University, Monday, Aug. 23, 2021, in Cleveland.
Julie Carr Smyth
FILE - In this Friday, Aug. 6, 2021 file photo, from left to right, Ohio House Democratic Leader Emilia Sykes, Senate President Matt Huffman, House Speaker Bob Cupp, both Republicans, and Democratic state Sen. Vernon Sykes speak to Auditor Keith Faber at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio, ahead of the first meeting of the Ohio Redistricting Commission on which they all sit. The panel overseeing the redrawing of Ohio’s legislative districts for the coming decade is traveling the state this week to gather input on what the maps should look like. The first of nine public hearings hosted by the new Ohio Redistricting Commission kicks off Monday morning, Aug. 23 in Cleveland.
Andrew Welsh-Huggins
Ohio House Speaker Bob Cupp, left, a Lima Republican, with with state Sen. Vernon Sykes, an Akron Democrat, right, answers questions about the state's redistricting process during a news conference after the commission's meeting Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021, in Columbus, Ohio. Cupp and Sykes are co-chairs of the Ohio Redistricting Commission. Cupp said the commission will miss Wednesday's deadline for producing a map and will need an extension until Sept. 15 extension.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Republican lawmakers plan to unveil their version of a newly drawn map of state legislative districts on Thursday morning, with a vote planned later in the day on a final version, the Ohio Senate president said.
The Ohio Redistricting Commission, charged with drawing a map good for as long as 10 years, missed its Sept. 1 deadline, triggering an extension until the middle of the month. Senate Democrats submitted their proposed map last week.
The map to be presented Thursday morning was created by House and Senate Republicans, said Senate President Matt Huffman, a Lima Republican. Some of the GOP map is almost identical to the Senate Democrats’ version, he said. The commission will vote on a final version of its proposed map Thursday afternoon, Huffman said.
The commission held nine public hearings around the state earlier this month looking for input on a new map, which is meant to end the current gerrymandered maps.
Voters approved constitutional amendments in 2015 and 2018 that created a new process for drawing both state legislative and congressional district maps this year and set up the independent commission.
Creating a 10-year map requires a majority vote of the commission, including both Democrats. Creating a 4-year map requires a simple majority of the commission without both Democrats.
