Equal Districts Coalition Demands Legal Statehouse Maps By New Deadline
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 20, 2022
Contact:
Rachel Coyle, 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 — released the following statement after a panel of federal judges chose to leave decisions regarding Ohio’s Statehouse redistricting process to the Ohio Supreme Court for the time being:
“Today, Ohio voters won yet another round of the redistricting fight as a panel of federal judges rightfully chose to leave decisions involving Ohio’s constitution and Ohio’s legislative districts up to Ohio’s highest court for the time being.
“As we’ve said before, there are no viable excuses left. The state Supreme Court made clear that fair maps are possible, and legal maps already exist in the independent mappers’ nearly finalized drafts. Now the federal court is giving the Commissioners yet another opportunity to do right by Ohio and deliver these constitutional maps.
“Time is of the essence and Ohio’s democracy is on the line — it’s time for the Ohio Redistricting Commission to get to work to finally deliver the legal maps voters demanded in time for the 2022 election.
“The Equal Districts Coalition will continue our fight for the fair, legal maps voters demanded. We will also be letting Ohioans know exactly who is failing them:
Governor Mike DeWine
Secretary of State Frank LaRose
Auditor Keith Faber
Senate President Matt Huffman
House Speaker Bob Cupp
“We are not going anywhere. Ohio voters demanded fair maps, and we will not stop until the voters win.”
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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, Ohio Farmers Union, AFSCME Ohio Council 8, the Ohio Environmental Council, OFUPAC, 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.
