Ohio Supreme Court Strikes Down Unconstitutional Maps, Equal Districts Coalition Celebrates Ohioans' Win

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 12, 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 — released the following statement celebrating the Ohio Supreme Court’s decisive ruling against gerrymandered legislative district maps:

“Today, in a monumental victory for democracy, our state Supreme Court ruled against an unconstitutional district map that would have handed Ohio Republicans another four years of unearned supermajorities in the Statehouse.

“Over the past year, two Republican-run branches of state government have willfully ignored voters’ demands and refused to uphold Ohio law. Today, the third branch held them accountable.”

“Now, the redistricting process begins again. We have just ten days to push the Ohio Redistricting Commission to draw maps that reflect how Ohioans actually vote. Our coalition is ready and eager to get to work.

“Under constitutional maps, Democrats will receive about 45% and Republicans will end up with about 55% of Ohio’s Statehouse seats, reflecting the average statewide vote over the past decade.

”We intend to make sure no one settles for less than what voters — and now the Ohio Supreme Court — have demanded.”

NOTE: The Equal Districts Coalition has endorsed the legislative maps crafted by the Ohio Citizens’ Redistricting Commission. View the maps here.

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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.