Today is the deadline the Ohio Supreme Court set for the Ohio Redistricting Commission to submit new legislative maps. But the leader of the Ohio House isn’t giving many hints about what members of the commission will do when they meet later.
When asked by reporters whether the commission would submit a map by the deadline, Republican House Speaker and commission co-chair Bob Cupp (R-Lima) responded this way:
“You’re really set on these deadlines aren’t you?" Cupp asks as he chuckles.
“It’s not me. It’s the Ohio Supreme Court," a reporter says.
“Yeah, they are really set on it too," Cupp says.
Cupp, a former Ohio Supreme Court Justice himself, wouldn’t say much about maps other than that they are being discussed behind closed doors. And while he said the commission would likely hold a vote today, he wouldn’t elaborate beyond that.
Minority Democrats on the Ohio Redistricting Commission put out suggested maps last week. A coalition of community groups known as Fair Districts Ohio also proposed its own maps. Cupp says the maps submitted by the redistricting group and Democrats have serious constitutional issues. But the Ohio Supreme Court rejected the first set of legislative maps, saying they didn't meet the anti-gerrymandering constitutional requirements approved by Ohio voters.
The delay in getting maps means candidates running for legislative and Congressional seats don't know which district they'll represent. Some have suggested lawmakers pass a bill to delay the May 3 primary but Cupp says he doesn't know that there are enough votes in the Ohio House to reschedule the primary.
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