Ohio Supreme Court rejects GOP-drawn Statehouse maps for 5th time

COLUMBUS — For months, News Center 7 has covered the state’s struggles to come up with a new redistricting map.

Wednesday, those struggles continued.

The Ohio Supreme court ruled that a set of Ohio House and Senate district maps previously ruled unconstitutional remain invalid.

On May 5, the Ohio Redistricting commission resubmitted a previously rejected map to the court, a day before a deadline given to them by the court.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Supreme Court strikes down state redistricting maps for 4th time: What happens next

Chief Justice Maureen O’ Connor wrote that by choosing to submit maps that had already been deemed unconstitutional, the commission “engaged in a stunning rebuke of the rule of law.”

In 2015, voters approved a whole new process that involves a seven-person, bipartisan Ohio Redistricting Commission. They’re responsible for drawing the lines.

The commission is made up of the governor, Secretary of State, Auditor of State and a Democrat and Republican from both the Ohio House and Senate.

Currently, Republicans have a 5-2 majority on the commission.

The commission will have until June 3 at 9 a.m. to submit a new set of maps to the Ohio Secretary of State’s office and with the Ohio Supreme Court by noon.

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