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The Ohio House plans to vote Wednesday on a bipartisan plan to change how the state draws legislative districts.
(Courtesy of the Ohio Statehouse Photo Archive)
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio House is expected to vote Wednesday on a bipartisan redistricting reform proposal that would change how the state draws its legislative districts.
The Senate passed the plan in an early-morning vote last week and does not plan to return to Columbus to address any additional changes the House might make.
But House leaders were involved in negotiations over House Joint Resolution 12 last week, so the House is expected to pass it before it finishes its business Wednesday. If so, the resolution will need approval from voters, likely in November 2015, to become part of the Ohio Constitution.
The plan only would affect Statehouse districts -- the Ohio House and Senate. Lawmakers dropped plans to overhaul the congressional redistricting process because of an unresolved U.S. Supreme Court case examining how Arizona has changed its process.
Critics of Ohio's current process have said the proposal is an improvement, but still leaves politicians to draw district lines and ignores problems with the congressional process.
Here are some of the differences between the proposal and the current system.
Who draws the lines?
Currently: The Apportionment Board: governor, secretary of state, state auditor, state legislator chosen by the majority party and legislator of the minority party.
Proposed: The Ohio Redistricting Commission: governor, secretary of state, state auditor, two state legislators chosen by the majority party and two legislators of the minority party.
What are the rules?
Currently: Districts must be "compact and composed of contiguous territory" and cannot contain a population less than 95 percent or more than 105 percent of the state population divided by the number of districts.
Proposed: Some of the current rules, but a new priority for drawing districts: working from large to small counties, keeping counties, municipal corporations and townships in the same districts. No county could be split more than once, if feasible. If the commission must split a county, municipal corporation or township between districts, it must explain its actions in a statement accompanying the map, to be presented in public comment and used in potential court challenges.
Does the public have a say?
Currently: The Apportionment Board votes on the maps in public, but the work is done behind closed doors.
Proposed: The commission would be required to hold at least three public hearings to get input on the proposed plan.
Will it prevent partisan gerrymandering?
Currently: Maps can be approved with a simple majority and there are no guidelines for partisan balance in districts. The current guidelines allow the majority party on the panel to draw the lines as they see fit within the few, existing criteria.
Proposed: Maps need approval from at least two minority party members. Maps could not be drawn to favor or disfavor a political party. The proportion of districts leaning toward one party or another would have to reflect statewide voting behavior observed over the previous 10 years.
What happens if minority party members don't approve the map?
Currently: Maps can be approved without support of any minority members. The map created in 2011 was approved in a 4-1 vote, with the sole Democrat voting against.
Proposed: If two minority party members don't approve a map, it will go into effect for only four years instead of 10. By the time the panel meets again, members could have changed -- an incentive for the panel to draw a map all can agree on. The commission must explain why a map is good for Ohio voters.
When would this happen?
Currently: Lines are redrawn every 10 years in the odd year following the U.S. Census. The next redistricting process will happen in 2021.
Proposed: Same, except if at least two minority members don't approve of the map they will be drawn again four years later. If minority approval isn't secured the second time, the map will go in place for six years -- when the panel would meet again after the census.
Can the maps be challenged in court?
Currently: Yes, the Ohio Supreme Court has jurisdiction.
Proposed: Same, but language specifies that no court shall order the commission to redraw certain districts or adopt a certain map.