Ohio’s Attorney General filed a motion Monday to block a federal court decision throwing out the state’s congressional map.
A three-judge panel last Friday ruled that Ohio’s map is an “unconstitutional partisan gerrymander” and must be redrawn by June 14. Attorney General Dave Yost asked for a stay of the decision while he appeals the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court, which is currently considering challenges to congressional maps in two other states.
Judges on the U.S. District Court in Cincinnati determined Ohio’s map was intentionally drawn "to disadvantage Democratic voters and entrench Republican representatives in power,” violating voters' right to choose their representatives.
Under the ruling, Ohio lawmakers must pass a new congressional map by June 14, 2019, or have a new map drawn under the control of the court.
In his motion, Yost argues the deadline for a new map comes several weeks before the Supreme Court is likely to rule on similar cases in Maryland and North Carolina.
“This Court’s decision forces Ohio’s General Assembly to expend valuable legislative time and effort attempting to address an issue before a court-imposed deadline, even though the issue is likely to become moot just a couple of weeks later,” Yost writes.