Today’s Links
Articles:
City Beat/Ohio Capitol Journal:Â Redistricting Commission: Leave Unconstitutional Maps for 2022 Election
Supreme Court of Ohio Clerk of Court – Filed May 09, 2022 – Case No. 2021-1198
ACLU Summary:Â Â LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF OHIO, ET AL. V. OHIO REDISTRICTING COMMISSION (CONGRESSIONAL MAP
Groups Taking Action:
ACLU of Ohio, League of Women Voters OH, Campaign Legal Center, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Ohio Organizing Collaborative
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the voting booth in Ohio . . .
The Ohio Redistricting Commission has doubled down on implementing a rigged state legislative voting map. Back in May as we reported, a federal court panel refused to hear an appeal, and returned it to the state to create a new map, not budging on moving the August 2nd state primary date.
Now with the clock ticking, the Ohio Capitol Journal reports that Gov. Mike DeWine & Secretary of State Frank LaRose are pushing for the gerrymandered February version of map because the Ohio Redistricting Commission is quote, “Out of options.” Fair maps advocates have asked the courts to hold the Commission members in contempt, and to order new fair maps by the end of the week.
The February map was one of three maps rejected by the Ohio Supreme Court as being manipulated for partisan advantage. In May, the federal court of appeals panel ordered that the map approved in February would be the default if the state could not draw a new map by May 28th. Instead of doing the right thing and drawing a fair map, the Ohio Redistricting Commission submitted another gerrymandered one, which was again rejected by the Ohio Supreme Court.
It’s not clear whether the August 2nd primary could be invalidated due to the lack of time for candidates to conduct a campaign. We’re going to need a bigger booth . . .
More details on this saga are available at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.
Granny D said “Democracy is not something we have, it’s something we DO.”
For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.