The Ohio congressional redistricting plan was passed by the Ohio House of Representatives this Thursday, September 15, nearly 48 hours after it was unveiled. The bill (House Bill 319) reduces Ohio's current 18 congressional districts to 16, eliminating one Republican seat and one Democratic seat. Legislators were tasked with creating new boundaries when slow population growth in Ohio caused the state to lose it two U.S. House districts. Also passed on Thursday, September 15 was a bill (House Bill 318) to move next year’s presidential primary from March to May. Final action in the Republican-controlled Senate on both bills could come next week.
During Thursday’s debate, Democrats urged the House to take more time to get public input on the proposed map; Democrats have been very vocal about the speed of the process and redistricting lines, many of which split communities and counties throughout the state. They have threatened legal challenge to the bill. Republicans defended the redistricting lines, saying it is beneficial for a county to have multiple members of Congress, and they are concerned that because of potential litigation and uncertainty on when the new map would take effect, Ohio might end up with separate state and federal primaries and unclear requirements for congressional candidates looking to file petitions.
Redistricting has historically been a heated topic because it determines Ohio’s voting districts for the next 10 years and affects all Ohioans. The Ohio AgriBusiness Association (OABA) will continue to follow developments, and we urge our members to stay aware of the issue.