Just one day after a joint legislative committee missed its deadline to approve new bipartisan congressional maps, Ohio Democrats are demanding that Governor Mike DeWine immediately call the state’s Redistricting Commission back into session. So far, DeWine has declined to comment.
In a letter sent Wednesday, Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) and House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn (D-Cincinnati) pressed DeWine to act quickly, pointing to constitutional language that requires the commission to adopt a congressional district plan by October 31. “We are prepared to take exceptional steps to meet those requirements,” the Democrats wrote, offering to meet anywhere in the state with 24 hours’ notice.
The Ohio Redistricting Commission is controlled by Republicans, including the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor, Senate president, and House speaker, alongside the two Democratic minority leaders. Like the joint legislative committee, it is tasked with producing maps that comply with Ohio’s anti-gerrymandering provisions.
The committee’s Tuesday deadline came and went without action. Democrats presented proposed maps, but Republicans did not bring forward their own plan or hold a vote. If the commission fails to reach agreement by the end of the month, the state legislature can approve new maps with a simple majority vote—allowing Republicans to move forward without Democratic support.
Ohio’s constitution, amended by voters to reduce gerrymandering, requires maps to reflect statewide voting patterns over the past decade. Those results show Ohioans voting roughly 54% Republican and 46% Democrat in federal elections, which would translate into a fair map splitting the state’s 15 U.S. House districts 8-7 in favor of the GOP. Currently, Republicans hold 10 seats.
Democrats argue that the rules demand a more balanced map, while Republicans maintain that geographic realities and voting patterns naturally favor their majority. With just weeks left until the deadline, the pressure on Governor DeWine to intervene continues to grow.
