OEC Statement on Ohio Supreme Court Decision Striking Down Congressional Maps [January, 2022]

Maggie Heiser, January 14, 2022

Columbus, OH — Today the Supreme Court of Ohio ruled that the congressional maps adopted in November by the General Assembly are invalid, with four justices voting to send Ohio’s congressional redistricting plans back to the drawing board. The decision comes on the heels of the Court’s ruling regarding state legislative maps; you can find OEC’s statement on that decision here. Both rulings declare the partisan gerrymandering performed in 2021 as absolutely unconstitutional.

In December, the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) filed an amicus brief in support of the plaintiffs in the cases appealing the congressional map, illustrating the environmental injustices perpetuated through gerrymandered maps.

The following statement can be attributed to Heather Taylor-Miesle, Executive Director of the Ohio Environmental Council:

“With our environment on the line, we cannot afford another decade of rigged maps. The Ohio Supreme Court’s decision today once again affirms what we’ve known since Ohioans overwhelmingly passed redistricting reforms: we deserve fair maps. Gerrymandering must never again happen in Ohio. Democracy works best when the game isn’t rigged and people and communities are empowered to demand that decision-makers represent their best interests.”

“Rivers, parks, and clean air are the very heartbeat of healthy communities, and they must be protected since they belong to all of us. That requires a government that puts the voters first. The Ohio Supreme Court has affirmed that the will of voters ranks higher than any personal or partisan power. The state legislature is getting what not many get—a second chance to get it right. As the Court said in their opinion, remember your oath of office.”

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Press inquiries? ebacha<at>theoec.org

The Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) is the state’s most comprehensive and effective environmental advocate for a healthier, more sustainable Ohio. The OEC develops and ensures the implementation of forward-thinking, science-based, pragmatic solutions to secure healthy air, land, and water for all who call Ohio home. Learn more at theoec.org