COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Supreme Court has rejected a new map of the state’s 15 congressional districts as gerrymandered, sending the blueprint back for another try.
The 4-3 decision Friday returns the process to the powerful Ohio Redistricting Commission, which was already reconstituting to re-draw legislative maps rejected earlier this week.
DECISION: The Supreme Court invalidated the Ohio General Assembly bill that reapportioned Ohio’s 15 U.S. House districts, because the resulting congressional-district map violated the partisan gerrymandering prohibitions contained in the Ohio Constitution. https://t.co/ex3mwiqfcn pic.twitter.com/v0U0yhDPKn
— Ohio Supreme Court (@OHSupremeCourt) January 14, 2022
The court's majority said the map of U.S. House districts was drawn strategically to advantage Republicans.
Ohio voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2018 that set up a new system to avoid gerrymandering.
Voting-rights and Democratic groups challenged the map as “unduly” favoring one party, a constitutional violation.
Republicans had defended the map as “highly competitive.”
RELATED: Ohio Supreme Court rejects GOP-supermajority Statehouse maps
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