Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine plans to convene the state’s Redistricting Commission ahead of the looming October 31 deadline, though no formal meeting date has been announced yet. With fall deadlines tightening, Democratic leaders are pressing DeWine to act quickly to produce bipartisan district maps.
A spokesman for DeWine confirmed Tuesday that the governor intends to call the commission, but declined to specify when. Senate Democratic Leader Nickie Antonio criticized the delay, accusing Republican officials of avoiding a genuine bipartisan effort. “It now appears Gov. DeWine is taking the same partisan delay approach,” Antonio said, noting voters’ expectations following the 2018 redistricting reforms.
The commission includes Republican leadership—governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state auditor, Senate president, and House speaker—as well as minority party leaders. After the General Assembly failed to pass bipartisan maps in September, the commission is now tasked with the job.
If the commission fails to finalize maps by October 31, the Legislature itself can pass new districts with a simple majority, bypassing Democratic input. However, the Ohio Constitution requires any maps to meet strict anti-gerrymandering standards, including proportional partisan balance and fair representation based on the past decade’s voting patterns.
In recent years, Republicans have held 10 of Ohio’s 15 U.S. House seats, while Republican federal vote share across the state has averaged around 54%. Under constitutional guidelines, maps must reflect that balance—ideally an 8–7 Republican advantage.
