It's official: Ohio's congressional districts will be drawn by the GOP-controlled Legislature.
House Speaker Bob Cupp, R-Lima, said the seven-member Ohio Redistricting Commission ran out of time to approve a 10-year map for the state's 15 congressional districts. The commission will miss its Oct. 31 deadline – the second missed deadline for a congressional district map.
"It's apparent that it's not going to be possible to have congressional district maps drawn in time. The Census delay really has had a cascading effect," Cupp said Tuesday.
The commission will meet Thursday to review congressional maps, including one offered by Senate Democrats, but the map being crafted by GOP legislative staff members will "not be available yet," Cupp said.
More:Ohio lawmakers likely to miss first congressional redistricting deadline
More:No meetings, no map mean Ohio Redistricting Commission could punt mapmaking to lawmakers
House Minority Leader Emilia Sykes, D-Akron, suggested a timeline for Ohio lawmakers to get to work on a congressional map that could win over bipartisan support and thus last for 10 years.
Sykes wants to convene a joint legislative committee by Nov. 4, introduce a bill detailing the congressional map by Nov. 10 and start public hearings by Nov. 15.
Ohio lawmakers need 60% of all members and 33% of Democrats in each chamber to pass a 10-year map. To pass a four-year map, Republicans need only a majority vote and to explain how their map meets voter-approved changes to ensure maps do not favor one party.
Cupp questioned whether the current process for drawing congressional maps was a good one.
"There is a question about whether this multi-step process is really a workable one in retrospect, but I think that's for another day," Cupp said. "We're focused now on getting the congressional maps done on time."
Jessie Balmert is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Akron Beacon Journal, Cincinnati Enquirer, Columbus Dispatch and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.
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