COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio lawmakers have missed their first deadline in the congressional redistricting process, meaning the Republican-controlled redistricting commission will now take over. This comes as one GOP leader raised the point that making a fair map wasn't a constitutional requirement.
Tensions are high as the U.S. congressional power divide rests in Ohio’s hands.
"I fear we are entering dark times, and the way this redistricting process is being conducted is leading us off a cliff into that darkness," Lawrence Austing, from Cincinnati, said.
The state’s mapmaking process has just hit its first deadline, one that wasn't met.
Community members from all over the state, such as Austing and Pari Sabety from Columbus, reprimanded the Joint Committee on Congressional Redistricting for failing to meet its deadline to pass a bipartisan district map.
The Republicans never introduced a proposal.
"Where is the supermajority Republican map? When will the public or your colleagues even get to see it?" Sabety asked. "There's no transparency here."
On average, Republicans win 55% to 45% over Democrats. With that breakdown, Democrats proposed a map with eight seats leaning red and seven leaning blue.
However, Ohio's 15 congressional districts are currently composed of 10 Republicans and five Democrats.
GOP party leaders say they want at least 12 of the 15 districts to lean Republican.
"This is a result of the election of Donald Trump versus Kamala Harris," state Rep. Nick Santucci (R-Niles) said, showing a medium-sized posterboard of the red Ohio counties that voted for the president in 2024.
Santucci argued that the 8-7 makeup isn’t fair to rural areas, since Democrats are mainly located in only several cities.
"Is it fair to the other folks that live in these communities that this is the map that you've given them?" Santucci asked Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood), referencing the 8-7 map that combines some rural areas with urban.
"Our map is the most fair constitutional proposal we've introduced in memory," Antonio responded. "People vote. Land mass doesn't vote."
But Committee Chair Jane Timken (R-Jackson Township) argued that they don't need to consider “fairness” when making a congressional map.
"The word fairness is not in the Constitution, correct?" she stated.
Timken was met with extensive laughter and shock from the audience. Democrats were stunned to hear her say that out loud.
"You pointed out that fairness is not a constitutional requirement for this. Why shouldn't the maps be fair?" I asked Timken after the hearing.
"Well, look, my point was not overall constitutional issues," Timken responded. "I was talking specifically about the language that deals with congressional redistricting, where the word fairness is not written there."
What is required by the Constitution is how the next part of the process goes. Now, the GOP-controlled redistricting commission, comprising statewide and legislative leaders, takes over.
"Seriously attempt to reach a bipartisan agreement," Austing said.
Democrats like Antonio believe that the Republicans purposely dragged their feet on making a map to delay this process so that they can push through a map of their choosing at the end. Republicans argue that they were just listening to the public before drafting a map, and that this process still has two more months.
The Commission must pass a bipartisan map by the end of October.
Deadlines and process
FAILED: Sept. 30: The lawmakers need to pass a map with at least 60% in each chamber, with at least 50% support of Democrats.
Oct. 31: To meet this deadline, at least four members of the ORC, including two Republicans and two Democrats, must approve.
If that fails, it goes back to the legislature.
Nov. 30: This map can also pass with a simple majority, and it must be replaced after six years.
Republicans haven't introduced their own map yet, but party leaders say they want at least 12 districts to lean red.
RELATED: Ohio House Speaker says he won’t let Trump pressure him during redistricting process
Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and Facebook.
