OEC Statement on Petition Asking Ohio Supreme Court to Reject Redrawn Legislative Maps [January, 2022]

Emily Bacha, Vice President of Public Affairs, January 26, 2022

Columbus, OH — Following the Ohio Redistricting Commission approval of new state legislative maps along party lines on Saturday, the petitioners in Ohio Organizing Collaborative v. Ohio Redistricting Commission filed objections to the maps with the Supreme Court of Ohio, arguing that the new maps violate the Ohio constitution’s prohibitions against partisan gerrymandering. The petitioners ask the court to declare the maps invalid and order the commission to enact new ones that comply with the Ohio Constitution’s partisan fairness mandates. The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law and Reed Smith represent the petitioners: the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, CAIR-Ohio, Ohio Environmental Council, and six individual Ohioans.

The Brennan Center press release on the petition can be found here.

The objections filed with the court in Ohio Organizing Collaborative v. Ohio Redistricting Commission are here, along with background on the case.

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

“The Ohio Supreme Court was abundantly clear when they struck down the gerrymandered state legislative maps initially passed by the Ohio Redistricting Commission: stop cheating Ohio voters. Instead, the Republican-controlled Redistricting Commission once again violated the Ohio Constitution, drawing maps that unfairly favor one party over another.

“Ohioans demanded better from the redistricting process. We’re ready to build the healthy democracy we all deserve, paving the way for the healthy environment Ohioans need. That starts with fair maps.”