The four legislative members of the Ohio Redistricting Commission on Thursday unveiled a deal on Congressional district lines they brokered entirely behind closed doors.
The map the commission released tilts districts in Cincinnati and Toledo further right and Akron further left, giving Democratic Reps. Greg Landsman (OH-1) and Marcy Kaptur (OH-9) tougher races while easing off Emilia Sykes (OH-13).
It would also make several other already-red seats even friendlier to the GOP.
Starting Wednesday afternoon, with just 24 hours鈥� notice, the commission scheduled a meeting for Thursday afternoon and then a meeting for Friday morning鈥攖o introduce the map and then to vote on the map, as required by the Ohio Constitution.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not exactly what Republicans would have drawn, it鈥檚 not what Democrats would have drawn,鈥� Gov. Mike DeWine told reporters outside the meeting. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a compromise, this is what you have when you have compromise.鈥�
Commission members took testimony for about an hour. Activists, who filled most of the seats in the hearing room, at times jeered the commission members.
"What's happening now is an insult to every Ohioan who believes in free and fair elections," said Bria Bennett of the Ohio Organizing Collective, a progressive leaning group. "This isn't just about lines on a map. It's about power, accountability, and whether our leaders respect the constitution and the people they are supposed to serve. What this commission is doing is reprehensible."
"You have purposely avoided the intent of the voters when we passed this amendment," said Andrea Yagoda of Delaware, who's spoken against the process and maps in previous years. "I'm not disappointed because I had absolutely no expectation that this hearing, like all hearings before, would be anything but a sham. You are not interested in hearing what we have to say."
"The map is crap. That's all," said Paul Miller, a Republican from Waterville near Toledo who blamed activists from both parties for the situation.
Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato鈥檚 Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, said agreeing to these six-year districts through 2031 eliminates a route to change them down the road: a referendum.
鈥淲hich Democrats have threatened if Republicans go the scorched earth route,鈥� Kondik said. 鈥淭he White House may not be happy with this, the White House wants every Republican state to go the scorched earth route.鈥�
Even before the hearing, commission members heard blowback on social media from observers on both sides of the aisle. Conservatives have blasted the GOP for striking a deal with Democrats, while liberals have said it isn鈥檛 fair and could be illegal.
鈥淚 could see why both sides would want to do this, at least, the leaders of the legislature,鈥� Kondik said.
After Friday, supermajority Republicans would be free to pass a plan without any Democrats. But challenges in court and an effort to overturn their partisan redraw would be around the corner, House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima) said.
鈥淲ith the national money that鈥檚 behind this, (Democrats) will be able to gather the signatures and put that on the ballot next year,鈥� Huffman said Wednesday morning. 鈥淭here will also be legal challenges to that. There will also be a question whether, when we pass that in November, because of the timing, whether that鈥檚 the map for 2026, or the map reverts to the current map.鈥�
Based on that November timeline, without an emergency clause, the districts outlined in the bill might not be effective until after the February filing deadline for candidates.
Ohio was always due for a mid-decade redraw because of 2018 reforms to law, but the state is another one Trump and national Republicans have been eyeing for more friendly seats in 2026. As to whether this achieved that, DeWine called the possibility of a 12-3 breakdown 鈥渄arn good numbers.鈥�
The Ohio Redistricting Commission is scheduled for a meeting, where they will likely vote, Friday at 10 a.m.
