Ohio Senate Passes Congressional Redistricting Bill, Sends to Kasich for Signature

Democrats Threatening Legal Challenges

The Ohio Senate voted 24-7 Wednesday to approve the congressional redistricting map, which passed the Ohio House last Thursday. The Senate added to House Bill 319 a budget appropriation of $2.75 million to help county boards of elections implement the new district lines.

Governor Kasich is expected to sign the bill within a few days, and once that happens, the new congressional map will take effect immediately. But with the Ohio Democratic Party and other groups threatening legal challenges in federal court, the Ohio redistricting debate will not likely be over any time soon.

The Senate took no action on the House-passed bill proposing to change the 2012 primary from March to May; therefore, for now the date of the Republican presidential primary will remain on March 6, 2012.