Equal Districts Coalition Eager to Begin Redraw Process After Supreme Court Strikes Down Rigged Maps

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 17, 2022


Contact:
Katy Shanahan, 614-372-6980, shanahan@redistrictingaction.org
Rachel Coyle, 419-351-5844, coyle@innovationohio.org

COLUMBUS — TODAY, the Equal Districts Coalition — a group of over 30 Ohio advocacy organizations and labor unions engaged in the redistricting process — applauded the state Supreme Court’s decision to invalidate Republican-drawn district maps that would have handed Ohio Republicans several unearned seats in Congress. The coalition now gears up to fight for fair maps throughout the redraw process.

“Just as Ohio voters spoke with a resoundingly loud voice at the ballot box in 2015 and 2018 to demand fair maps, so, too, has the Ohio Supreme Court in their rightful invalidation of our unconstitutionally gerrymandered congressional map in an incredible victory for all Ohioans and for our democracy,” said Katy Shanahan, Ohio State Director, All On The Line. “Legislators now have yet another opportunity to do right by Ohioans and to deliver us the fair congressional map that we deserve — one that puts all of us on equal footing in our ability to exercise the full power of our vote and to elect leaders who actually represent us.”

Last year, Governor DeWine and Ohio’s Republican supermajority passed new district maps that violated Ohio’s constitution by giving one party — the Republican Party — an unnecessary advantage in congressional elections. In Friday’s decision, a bipartisan coalition of justices rejected the newly-adopted congressional maps and ordered the Ohio Redistricting Commission to be convened to draw districts that better reflect Ohio’s voting record.

“This isn’t about red versus blue or Democrat versus Republican, but instead about having a representative democracy. This is about ensuring that people who stand in line for hours to cast their ballot matter,” said Desiree Tims, President and CEO, Innovation Ohio. “A representative democracy is etched into the spirit of the American Dream. Thanks to the Supreme Court, voters in Ohio can take part in that dream too.”

In its order invalidating the congressional map, the Ohio Supreme Court held that the map was drawn to favor Republicans and their incumbents, and to disfavor Democrats and their incumbents, in violation of the state constitution’s explicit ban on partisan gerrymandering.

The map also split apart communities in Ohio, namely in Hamilton, Summit, and Cuyahoga Counties. These splits, the Court held, could not be explained away by any other justification than that they were created to partisan gerrymander the map for Republicans.

"This ruling is a major victory that brings us one step closer to fair and equitable representation in Congress for Black, Brown, and immigrant Ohioans. Across this country, there has been a coordinated attack on our voting rights. We know that a fair redistricting process is one way we can ensure that voters have the power to choose our leaders, not the other way around,” said Jeniece Brock, Vice Chair of Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission and Policy & Advocacy Director for Ohio Organizing Collaborative. “We deserve an equal say in how our futures are drawn, and we stand ready to hold the commission and legislators accountable throughout this next phase of the map-drawing process that will shape our community representation for the next decade."

The Ohio Supreme Court has ordered a new congressional map to be drawn — this time following all of the constitutional requirements for a fair map. The state constitution provides the legislature and (if needed) the Redistricting Commission 30 days to adopt a redrawn congressional map.

“Ohio succeeds when every Ohioan has an equal opportunity to vote and to have their vote count. AFSCME, Ohio Council 8, AFL-CIO applauds the Ohio Supreme Court for once again rejecting partisan gerrymandering and ordering the Ohio Redistricting Committee to draw fair congressional districts as required under the Ohio Constitution, so that every Ohioan can fully participate in their democracy,” said R Sean Grayson, President, AFSCME, Ohio Council 8, AFL-CIO.

This is the Ohio Supreme Court’s second ruling against gerrymandered maps in one week. On Wednesday, the court also struck down Ohio’s Republican-drawn legislative maps, which would have allowed Republicans to maintain unearned supermajority control over both Statehouse chambers, and override power over the governor’s vetoes.

“With our environment on the line, we cannot afford another decade of rigged maps. Rivers, parks, and clean air are the very heartbeat of healthy communities, and they must be protected since they belong to all of us. That requires a government that puts the voters first. The Ohio Supreme Court has affirmed that the will of voters ranks higher than any personal or partisan power,” said Heather Taylor-Miesle, Executive Director, Ohio Environmental Council. “The state legislature is getting what not many get—a second chance to get it right. As the Court said in their opinion, remember your oath of office.”

Throughout the next 30 days, the Equal Districts Coalition will intensify efforts to push legislators for fair maps, and to engage a broad, diverse range of Ohioans in the redistricting process.

The coalition will also join All On The Line to hold virtual testimony trainings Tuesday - Friday of this week for Ohioans wishing to testify for fair maps.

Here’s what Equal Districts Coalition Partners are saying about this massive victory for democracy and voting rights:

Amina Barhumi, Acting Executive Director, CAIR-Ohio:
“Another victory for the Muslim community, other marginalized communities, and all Ohioans. With both rulings, the Ohio Supreme Court makes clear: democracy demands that voters pick their leaders, not the other way around. The Ohio General Assembly has 30 days to right this wrong – ample time to use the thousands of testimonials and maps submitted from across the state in redrawing fair maps.”

Katie Paris, Founder, Red Wine and Blue:
"As suburban women, we teach our kids to follow the rules. Unlike Mike DeWine and his fellow Republicans on the redistricting commission, the Ohio Supreme Court followed the rules established by the people of Ohio. No more games. Time to pass constitutional maps."

Lauren Blauvelt Copelin, Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Advocacy, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio:
“Since two branches of Ohio’s government have purposefully refused to uphold the law—we are glad that the third branch struck down these clearly unconstitutional gerrymandered maps. These rigged maps gave Republicans at least 80% of Ohio's congressional seats, despite Ohioans voting for Republicans about 55% of the time in the last decade."

Kellie Copeland, Executive Director, Pro-Choice Ohio:
“The majority of Ohioans support local abortion access. However, the Ohio Republican Party has used gerrymandering to divide communities and manufacture districts that provide them with electoral victories they would not otherwise win. This has allowed them to elect more and more ultra-conservative candidates who push vile proposals that prevent Ohioans from being able to access the reproductive health care they need. As early as June of 2022 the US Supreme Court could rule to gut or overturn Roe v. Wade, severely limiting abortion access. It is imperative that Ohioans have legislative districts that represent their communities so that abortion access can be protected in our state. Without fair districts that keep communities whole and reflect the will of the voters, access to abortion in Ohio could be completely eliminated, over the objections of the majority of Ohioans.”

Petee Talley, Chief Officer, OCBCP / Ohio Unity Coalition:
"The ruling of the Ohio Supreme Court, that the gerrymandered map passed by the Ohio General Assembly violates the constitution and thus the will of the people is a huge victory. By ordering the Ohio Congressional map be redrawn, the general assembly has another chance to do the right thing and uphold their responsibility and draw a FAIR MAP that is representative of all Ohioans. We the people expect nothing less”.

Maria Bruno, Public Policy Director, Equality Ohio:
"The mapmaking process we saw this past year was a far cry from the transparent, bipartisan process demanded by Ohio Voters. This week, the Ohio Supreme Court gave mapmakers a second chance to make things right by actually following through with the reforms passed in 2015 and 2018. We applaud the supreme court for assuring the commission and lawmakers are held to account. "

Alexis Crosby, Ohio State Coordinator, Campus Vote Project:
“Over the last year, college students from across the state have made their voices heard in the redistricting process advocating for their campus communities to be kept whole in new districts. They were educating and engaging their peers, submitting community of interest maps, and providing testimony. It has been of utmost importance to have the voices of our future in this vital process and ensure that all Ohioans are fairly represented.”

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The Equal Districts Coalition is the largest redistricting coalition in Ohio, with over 30 member organizations. It includes the Ohio State Conference of the NAACP, Ohio Organizing Collaborative, OAPSE/AFSCME, AFSCME Ohio Council 8, the Ohio Environmental Council, Innovation Ohio, the Ohio Student Association, ProgressOhio, All On the Line-Ohio, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, Ohio Council of Churches, NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, URGE – Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity, LEAD Ohio, the Ohio Women’s Alliance, the Ohio Federation of Teachers, Ohio Education Association, CAIR-Ohio, Campus Vote Project, For Our Future Ohio, Ohio Unity Coalition, Equality Ohio, The Freedom Bloc, and more.

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Ohio Congressional Maps Struck Down, Equal Districts Coalition Celebrates with Ohioans