The proposed map that divides Ohio into 12 Republican leaning districts and 4 Democrat leaning districts has been approved by the Ohio House and Senate. Most Democrats say the map divides some cities into as many as 3 different districts, breaks up communities with like interests and will lead to more hyper partisan representation. Republican Senator Keith Faber says the map might not be perfect but he says it meets the necessary criteria.
Faber says, "The main factors we had to account for is first proportional representation, secondly the voting rights act. Competitiveness and compactness are not able to supercede A or B."
Faber also says maps submitted by Democrats and citizen groups could not be used. "All of the maps failed by not having equal population or they fail by not satisfying the voting rights act. Either of those two flaws is fatal."
Democrats dislike the map so much they had threatened to wage a referendum on it. But Senate Republicans found a way around that by adding money to the bill, making it referendum proof. Lawmakers, at last minute, added 2 point four million dollars to the bill to give to county boards of elections.
Faber says, "They need the money to draw precincits, update computer software, in part because of compressed time period, in part because of a November election, in part because they are going to be trying to do this by December 7th and in part because they are going to be doing things like verifying petition signatures."
Democrats are collecting petition signatures to put a recently passed election reform law on next November’s ballot. That means between now and then, new reforms, including one that moves the primary from March to May, cannot be implemented. So lawmakers decided to put language into this bill that would leave Ohio in the March Super Tuesday primary next year. Democrats, who say they’ve been left out of the redistricting process, are not happy with the new map. There’s one part of the new map that does get a small measure of support among African American Democrats like State Senator Shirley Smith. She says she appreciates that the map designates minority districts, it’s not fair to everyone.
Smith says, "Sure we want someone who look like us, understand us, and have our interest at heart. But this was done at the expense of all democratic voters."
Smith also says the new map does a poor job of representing voters. Rather she says it is a product of partisan politics. "And the sad part is those involved don’t seem to care about this state as a whole. I suspect those who were part of this were of the mindset and felt much like Charlie Sheen....WINNING... "
In the end, some African American lawmakers did end up voting for the plan, even thought they say they are not happy with it. Democrats say they are now considering all options, including court action. Now that the map has passed the Ohio House and Senate, the bill authorizing it will go to Governor Kasich. He’s expected to sign it into law soon.