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Ohio must redraw its congressional maps this year: Here's how and why that's happening
Aug. 14—Ohio's elected leaders are mandated this year to redraw boundaries of the state's 15 congressional districts amid a brewing fight for political control of the U.S. House of Representatives as the 2026 midterm election approaches. While states like Texas and California threaten to redraw their congressional maps to favor one political party, Ohio alone is required by its state constitution to produce new maps. INSIDE OHIO POLITICS: Go here for more from our special reporting project explaining the inner-workings of Ohio statehouse politics. Ohio's congressional redistricting process is almost entirely spelled out in its constitution after Ohio voters approved a bipartisan reform measure in 2018. Under those rules, the congressional map created in 2021 after the most recent U.S. Census is only good through 2026 because the maps were approved without requisite support from Democrats. This sets Ohio apart from other states, whose maps are theoretically good through the 2030 election cycle and are due to be updated after the 2030 Census, barring intervention from those states' leaders. And with Republicans in control of all key state offices and holding supermajorities in both chambers of the Ohio General Assembly, some suggest this gives the GOP an opportunity to gerrymander in the party's favor and help sway the balance of power in Washington D.C. How Ohio's redistricting process works The Ohio Constitution allocates map drawing responsibilities, establishes required deadlines, and provides specific parameters for mapmakers to follow in creating an enforceable map. Here's how the process works: Stage 1: Ohio General Assembly The Ohio General Assembly has until Sept. 30 to come up with and approve new congressional maps. In order to take effect, the legislature's proposal would need to be approved by a three-fifths vote in both the Ohio House and Senate, with the added stipulation that the map would need majority support from the Republicans and Democrats of each chamber. Failure to meet that threshold by the end of September would kick the process to its second stage. Ohio's constitution requires the legislature's map proposals to come in the form of a traditional bill, which makes any plan approved in this first stage subject to a governor's veto or public referendum. Stage 2: Ohio Redistricting Commission If the legislature fails, then the responsibility falls on the Ohio Redistricting Commission — a seven-member board made up of Ohio's governor; auditor; secretary of state; and two other designees per party, picked by Republican and Democratic legislative leaders. Ohio's governor, auditor and secretary of state are all Republicans. The redistricting commission would have until Oct. 31 to create and approve a map. Like the legislature in the first stage, it is required to have a bipartisan vote to adopt its map. A redistricting commission map can be approved by a four affirmative votes, including support from at least two Democrats and two Republicans. Failure to meet that threshold before the Oct. 31 deadline sends the process to its third stage. Stage 3: Back to the legislature The Ohio General Assembly would get a second bite of the apple if the redistricting commission were to fail, this time with the goal of producing a map that could get three-fifths support from both chambers, including support from at least one-third of the members of each chamber's Democratic and Republican caucus, before Nov. 30. In this stage, however, the Ohio Constitution allows for a temporary map to be adopted with just a simple majority vote. A map passed in this stage, like the first stage, can be vetoed by the governor or become the subject of a voter referendum. Isn't gerrymandering prohibited? The Ohio Constitution doesn't really address gerrymandering in the first two steps outlined above, relying instead on the effort to get a 10-year map with bipartisan support. But if lawmakers create a temporary map passed on a partisan basis, the constitution does list certain restrictions: — The legislature's map cannot "unduly" favor or disfavor a political party; — The plan's districts cannot unduly split local governmental units; — The legislature must at least "attempt" to draw compact districts; — The plan goes into effect for two election cycles, which in this case would be for the 2026 and 2028 elections. How we got here In 2021, Ohio's political leaders took on the task of redrawing congressional districts for the first time since Ohio voters overwhelmingly (with nearly three-quarters of voters in support) voted in 2018 to amend the Ohio Constitution to create the current process. It didn't work. Republican officeholders and legislative leaders pushed through maps with little support from Ohio Democratic leaders, going through the three-stage process outlined above and ending up with a temporary map. The League of Women Voters of Ohio and others sued, and the Ohio Supreme Court deemed the map unconstitutionally gerrymandered in favor of Republicans, with Republican Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor siding with the court's three Democrats and casting the deciding vote. But a federal court ruled the maps had to be used in order to carry out the 2022 election. After O'Connor left office and the balance of power on the state's high court changed in 2022, the League dropped their lawsuit and instead backed an effort to amend the Ohio Constitution again to remove politicians from the redistricting process. But Ohio voters rejected the proposed reforms in the 2024 election. So that leaves us with the current map that is only good for the 2022 and 2024 election cycles. This year it falls to Ohio elected officeholders and legislative leaders to again draw a map using the steps outlined above. But now, it's happening amid a national fervor over congressional maps. Partisan politics The two election cycles that used Ohio's expiring maps resulted in the election of 10 Republicans and five Democrats to represent the state in the U.S. House — with only a handful of competitive districts. Ohio House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn, D-Cincinnati, told this news outlet that he's hoping for — and believes the law calls for — a new map to give Republicans less of an advantage. "Right now we have maps that are out of whack with where Ohioans are," Isaacsohn said. "We live in a state that leans Republican, so we should have congressional districts that lean Republican. That's probably, for 15 seats, an eight-to-seven (split) with some tossups." But Ohio Republicans are again in the driver's seat. Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, previously suggested it may be possible to have a bipartisan bill in September after informal negotiations this month. But GOP leaders could again just push through a map without Democratic support that would stand for the next two congressional elections in 2026 and 2028. And this time the Ohio Supreme Court, which could be asked to weigh whether a temporary map is gerrymandered, has a six-to-one Republican advantage. U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno, a Republican, thinks the state's new maps should give Republicans a 12-to-3 advantage, according to The Ohio Capital Journal. But, despite external pressures, Isaacsohn maintained a guarded optimism that the Republicans won't use the opportunity to stretch their advantage even further. "The Speaker has said publicly that he is not amenable or susceptible to pressure from outside forces, including those in D.C., and I certainly hope that's the case," he said. Looking ahead Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio, told this news outlet she doesn't want to predict what would happen in the forthcoming redistricting process. But, Miller said she doesn't expect the national conversation around redistricting to make advocating for fair maps more difficult. Which is to say: "I think redistricting is always hard when politicians are in charge." "The national conversation proves that politicians should not be part of the redistricting (and) that both parties, when given the power, will rig maps for their candidates," she said. "We stand firmly against gerrymandering, no matter who is doing it." While there are plenty of factors that go into making a fair district map, Miller said she places value on "proportional fairness" — whether a map's competitive advantages are in line with the electorate's political preferences. Miller explained the goal as a map where "the percent of votes cast for each party generally mirrors the percent of seats each party would get." "The foundation (of a fair map) should be districts that don't split communities of interest and bring together communities that are very alike. Right now we have these sprawling, weird-shaped districts that smoosh together populations of people that have very different needs from infrastructure and the economy, healthcare and more," Miller said. "So the foundation really is keeping communities together, but a good measure is proportional fairness." ------ For more stories like this, sign up for our Ohio Politics newsletter. It's free, curated, and delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday evening. Avery Kreemer can be reached at 614-981-1422, on X, via email, or you can drop him a comment/tip with the survey below.
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
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Ethics Commission approves campaign money for legislators to use for "reasonable expenses"
The Oklahoma Ethics Commission voted to allow legislators to use campaign money to cover personal security costs, a move that was prompted by the killing of a Minnesota lawmaker and her husband in their home. The four commissioners unanimously voted to approve the proposal Thursday, Aug. 14. Campaign funds can cover "reasonable expenses for safety and security," such as security camera systems, motion detectors, cybersecurity software and monitoring services. Candidates cannot use campaign money to hire a security guard or security detail, purchase weapons or install complex, high-end equipment. Senate Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton and House Speaker Kyle Hilbert as well as House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson and Senate Minority Leader Julia Kirt brought the issue to the commission's attention through a letter July 11, and asked the commission to determine whether it was ethical to spend campaign funds on security expenses. "The tragic assassination of state Rep. Melissa Hortman by shooting at her home in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, last month has emphasized to me the need to evaluate what can be done to prevent such an awful event from occurring in Oklahoma," the lawmakers said in their letter. Hortman, her husband Mark and their golden retriever were killed in the shooting. Vance Luther Boelter, 57, was arrested and charged in relation to the shooting. Prosecutors say Boelter disguised himself as a law enforcement officer and also shot and wounded Minnesota Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette. Violence toward politicians has impacted officials across the political spectrum. President Donald Trump was shot in the ear during a 2024 campaign rally, and in April 2025, Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's home was set on fire while he and his family were asleep. A part of the discussion Thursday revolved around whether it was ethical for legislators to spend campaign money on hiring personal security guards. As part of the public comment, Kell Kelly said through a written public comment that he thinks lawmakers should be able to use campaign money to pay for security guards. Hilbert hired Kelly as his chief of staff in February. Vice Chair Commissioner Adam Weintraub said he did not see a reason why legislators would need a security detail outside of protection from law enforcement, which is provided at the Capitol and at some other public events. Previous Coverage: Can campaign funds be used for private security? OK leaders ask for clarification after Minnesota deaths Commission Executive Director Lee Ann Bruce Boone said that approving lawmakers to use campaign money for security guards would need to be approved by the Legislature. In a joint statement issued with other legislative leaders after the commission vote, Paxton said the ruling provides lawmakers "a clear, ethical pathway to address credible threats that arise solely because they hold public office." "It's a commonsense step that will allow us to serve the people of Oklahoma without compromising our safety and security,' he said. Hilbert said the ruling helps lawmakers and ensures campaign finance transparency. "No candidate or official should fear for their life when serving the public," Hilbert said in the joint statement. Kirt and Munson also expressed support for the commission's ruling and noted how the assassinations in Minnesota pushed the issue of legislator safety to the forefront. 'Violence should never be part of our democratic process, but what happened in Minnesota this summer reminded us all that public service can come with risk to elected officials and their loved ones," Kirt said. Munson added: 'When we are unencumbered by threats made to our personal security, we can ensure a better, more prosperous future for everyone.' This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma lawmakers will be able to use campaign money for security Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
9 minutes ago
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Groveland set to narrow council candidates in upcoming primary election
Three candidates are vying for the opportunity to represent District 4 on the Groveland City Council and will see their campaigns tested through the results of the upcoming municipal primary election on Aug. 19. Incumbent councilwoman Judith Fike will be running against Groveland residents Jim O'Neil and Michael Jaycox, each with distinct ideas about local issues like housing affordability, traffic, growth and more. Embroiled in controversy in recent weeks surrounding past social media posts, Fike seeks to retain the council seat she was appointed to back in October 2024. O'Neil and Jaycox have spent their time in Groveland serving leadership roles within the Trilogy of Orlando Veterans and other community organizations, looking to shake up the council with their local experience and backgrounds in the Navy and Air Force, respectively. Here's a look at each candidate as we near the primary election next week. Judith Fike The months leading up to the primary election have been tumultuous for Fike, who was suspended from Groveland City Council for alleged racist and anti-gay social media posts, resurfaced by reporting from the Clermont Sun on June 30. Fike was reinstated to the city council a week later after Circuit Judge Dan Mosely issued a temporary injunction against the city, siding with Fike. Running a campaign dedicated to curbing 'overdevelopment that has stripped other cities of their character', Fike said in a written response to the Orlando Sentinel that she's focused on making sure every tax dollar is spent wisely. 'Managing growth responsibly will determine our quality of life for decades, along with revitalizing downtown to create a walkable hub of shops and restaurants, ensuring that the recent pioneers who have invested in small businesses can continue to grow and flourish,' she said. With housing affordability and traffic both heavily influenced by rampant local growth in recent years, Fike said she wants to see the area grow with purpose. 'Traffic is the result of decades of residential growth without enough jobs, roads, or connections throughout the region,' she said. 'In Groveland, we need to improve economic development to ensure our residents can find quality jobs in Groveland and can avoid the congestion plaguing the rest of Central Florida.' Fike said that as a sitting council member, she'll bring leadership, experience and community connection to 'keep Groveland moving forward responsibly.' 'I have the experience, relationships and commitment to lead effectively from day one,' she said. 'When I show up, it's not for a photo op, it's to build real connections and get real work done for Groveland.' Jim O'Neil Jim O'Neil, who retired from the U.S. Navy in 1994, moved into Groveland's active adult community, Trilogy Orlando, in 2018 and currently works with the Lake County School District to provide risk management services as the district's FEMA manager. 'I handle all the FEMA claims and any mitigation that has to do with repair and trying to get reimbursement from FEMA,' he said during a recent candidate forum in Groveland. 'It's to try and get the school whole again — from a financial standpoint — and get money back for the damage that any storm causes.' Bringing an analytical, evaluation-centered presence to city council, O'Neil said his most important issue is making sure the health of the City of Groveland is accurately assessed before making major decisions. 'I think our entire strategic plan has to be revisited and reanalyzed based on the growth that we've experienced over the last three to five years,' he said. 'I don't think we're keeping up and a lot of the contracts of the developments are older than five years old and are now being commenced with permitting and all that. I'm of the opinion that many of those need to be revisited to determine their current impact on our area.' With a background in code enforcement, budgeting and operational oversight, O'Neil said he would be a great candidate to represent District 4. 'I have that background working in government, but also with commercial enterprises as well,' he said. 'I think I have a broad scope of effective experience that will benefit the city of Groveland.' Michael Jaycox Air Force veteran and New York native Michael Jaycox has lived in Trilogy since 2022. Jaycox is a former civil engineer and worked in quality assurance for over 40 years upon his retirement from the Air Force, using his background over the decades to learn how meetings are supposed to run, how to make consensus documents and other tasks required of city officials. 'I'm the only one running that has actual experience in writing codes and laws,' he said. Running a campaign focused on his self-developed P.O.P — priority on people — platform, Jaycox said his most important issue is making sure residents are informed about the city charter. 'It's time to have people read the city charter and follow the city charter, correct the city charter where it needs to be corrected and improve the city charter,' he said. While there are plenty of reasons to update the city charter, Jaycox said, slowing rapid growth is at the top of the list and he argued it should be a priority for city leaders with an emphasis on a 'one house, one acre' directive. Beyond traffic, affordable housing and a host of other local issues, Jaycox said he is committed to representing Groveland by ensuring each decision is made through the lens of his potential District 4 constituents. 'If it's neutral for District 4, I'm going to look how it works for the whole city, but District 4 is the one that I'm representing,' he said. 'People might sit there and say 'you have to be a little more global and think about the whole city', but I have to think about the people who elected me.' Contact me at jwilkins@ or 407-754-4980. Solve the daily Crossword
