Redistricting Ohio House, Senate seats take center stage in August primary

After months and months of state officials trying to come up with a new redistricting map for the Ohio House and Ohio Senate, voters casted their ballot for their favorite candidates who will go head-to-head in November.

As we focus our attention on the Ohio House races, let’s take a look at how Ohio’s redistricting will look after today’s election:

Ohio House District 46 (Butler County)

• Thomas Hall – Republican: 56% (WINNER, AP projects)
• Matt King – Republican: 44%

NOTE: Thomas Hall is the incumbent for the former 53rd Ohio House District

Ohio House District 47 (Butler County)

• Sara Carruthers – Republican: 81% (WINNER, AP projects)
• Cody R. Harper – Republican: 19%

NOTE: Sara Carruthers is the incumbent for the former 51st Ohio House District

Ohio House District 55 (Warren County)

• Scott Lipps – Republican: 69% (WINNER, AP projects)
• Thomas Goodwin – Republican: 31%

Ohio House District 56 (Warren County)

• Adam Mathews – Republican: 54% (WINNER, AP projects)
• Kathy Grossman – Republican: 46%
• Joy Bennett – Democrat: 71% (WINNER, AP projects)
• Sam Cao – Democrat: 29%

Ohio House District 70 (Greene County)

• Brian Lampton – Republican: 62% (WINNER, AP projects)
• Katherine Shutte – Republican: 38%

NOTE: Brian Lampton is the incumbent for the former 73rd Ohio House District

Ohio House District 78 (Auglaize County)

• Susan Manchester – Republican: 55% (WINNER, AP projects)
• J.J. Sreenan – Republican: 45%

NOTE: Susan Manchester is the incumbent for the former 84th Ohio House District.

Ohio House District 83 (Logan County)

• Melissa Kritzell – Democrat: 38%
• Claire Osborne – Democrat: 62% (WINNER, AP projects)

Kritzell and Osborne are Democrats running against each other who will eventually take on incumbent Jon Cross.

Ohio House District 84 (Darke, Mercer and Auglaize Counties)

• Angela N. King – Republican: 61% (WINNER, AP projects)
• Jacob Larger – Republican: 36%
• Aimee Morrow – Republican: 2%

These three are running against each other in an effort to take on Democratic challenger Sophia Rodriguez in the general election in November. This district is a newly realigned region.

Ohio House District 85 (Champaign, Logan and Shelby Counties)

• Tim Barhorst – Republican: 57% (WINNER, AP projects)
• Rochiel Foulk – Republican: 9%
• Lilli Johnson Vitale – Republican: 35%

These three are running against each other to fill a seat that will be vacated by Nino Vitale whose term is expiring in the 85th district. Lilli Johnson Vitale is Nino’s wife and she is seeking the Republican bid for her husband’s seat.

On July 19, The Ohio Supreme Court rejected a second redistricting map, saying it violated the partisan gerrymandering prohibitions contained in the Ohio Constitution.

>> RELATED: Ohio Supreme Court rejects congressional map again

In the 4-3 decision, the court majority ruled that the map did “not comply with Article XIX, Section 1 (C)(3)(a) of the Ohio Constitution and [was] declared invalid.” The map was deemed to have unconstitutionally favored the Republican Party.

New maps will be put in place for the 2024 congressional election, according to Court News Ohio.

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.

>> RELATED: EXPLAINER: Ohio Redistricting – How did we get here?

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

Ohio’s Redistricting Commission had to redraw Ohio House and Senate maps with the latest census data.

In May, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that a set of Ohio House and Senate district maps previously ruled unconstitutional remain invalid, causing the Ohio House and Senate candidates to not appear on the May 3 primary election ballot. Instead, they will be part of a second primary election on Aug. 2 under an unconstitutional Statehouse map.

There are no contested Ohio Senates up for grabs in the Miami Valley.

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