Ohio’s high court nixes 3rd set of GOP-drawn Statehouse maps

By JULIE CARR SMYTH
Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Supreme Court has rejected as gerrymandered a third set of Ohio Statehouse district maps drawn by Republicans with the May 3 primary nearing. The high court sent the maps back to the Republican-dominated Ohio Redistricting Commission to be redrawn by March 28. The outcome is unclear as a new redistricting process unfolds for the first time. The court’s 4-3 ruling late Wednesday said the commission’s latest plan again violates a 2015 constitutional amendment. That amendment said the commission must attempt to avoid partisan favoritism and try to proportionally distribute districts to reflect Ohio’s 54% Republican-46% Democratic political makeup.