The Ohio Supreme Court on Tuesday threw out the state’s GOP-drawn congressional map and ordered state lawmakers to redraw the districts ahead of the 2024 elections.
In a 4-3 decision, the court ruled that the state’s congressional map amounts to an unconstitutional gerrymander favoring Republicans. In the ruling, the court said that the evidence presented “shows that the March 2 plan also unduly favors the Republican Party and unduly disfavors the Democratic Party in violation of” the state constitution’s anti-gerrymandering provision.
The court ordered Ohio lawmakers to draw a new map within 30 days. If they fail to do so, the Ohio Redistricting Commission will have 30 days to adopt a new congressional map.
But any new map won’t be used until the 2024 elections, because the 2022 primary elections were already held under the existing congressional lines.
That map creates two Democratic-leaning districts but gives Republicans an advantage in 11 others, while two other districts are considered highly competitive.
The map also puts Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D), the longest-serving woman in Congress, in a GOP-leaning district.
The decision on Tuesday marks the second time that the state Supreme Court has tossed out the congressional map as unconstitutional.