Victory for Ohioans: Ohio Supreme Court Throws Out Legislative Maps for Illegal Partisan Gerrymandering

Today the Supreme Court of Ohio ruled that the state legislative maps adopted in September by the Ohio Redistricting Commission are void. Finding for the plaintiffs in Ohio Organizing Collaborative v. Ohio Redistricting Commission, the Court ruled that the General Assembly maps were a partisan gerrymander in violation of the Ohio Constitution. The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law and Reed Smith represent the plaintiffs: the Ohio Organizing Collaborative, CAIR-Ohio, Ohio Environmental Council, Ahmad Aboukar, Crystal Bryant, Samuel Gresham Jr., Prentiss Haney, Mikayla Lee, and Pierrette "Petee" Talley.

Alicia Bannon, Director of the Judiciary Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, had the following comment:

"Today the Ohio Supreme Court held the Ohio Redistricting Commission accountable to the constitution. The General Assembly maps entrenched a GOP supermajority and flouted clear partisan fairness requirements in the Ohio constitution - abuses that especially impacted Ohio's Black, Muslim and immigrant communities. The commission is now tasked with drawing replacement maps. We will be watching to ensure that all Ohioans get the fair representation they are due."

Brian Sutherland, partner at Reed Smith, had the following comment:

"We welcome the court's decision to enforce the state's constitutional protections against partisan gerrymandering. Our plaintiffs - the organizations and individuals who sued to block the illegal maps - would have been denied fair representation under those maps. They deserve maps that are fair and legal so that their voices can be heard in Columbus on the issues that affect their lives."

The court's decision and background on Ohio Organizing Collaborative v. Ohio Redistricting Commission are available here.

This press release is here.

Related resources:

• "We're Suing Ohio Over Its Gerrymandered Voting District Maps" by Alicia Bannon, Yurij Rudensky, and Julia Kirschenbaum, Brennan Center for Justice
• "COVID Inequities Show Why Ohio's Fair Map Mandate Must Not Be Ignored" by Jeniece Brock, policy and advocacy director, Ohio Organizing Collaborative
• "Ohio Take Note: Fairness Is a Universal Value" by Tala Dahbour, policy director, CAIR-Ohio
• "How Gerrymandering Contributes to Environmental Injustice" by Callia Tellez, environmental policy fellow, Ohio Environmental Council
• "Lawmaker's 'Rigged' Map Would Steal Ohioans' Right to Representation" by Kathleen Clyde and Greg Moore, co-chairs, Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission