According to the Ohio Constitution the process for redistricting the state is conduction by the 5 -member Aportionment Committee consisting of the governor, auditor of state, secretary of state, and one person from each of the two parties in the legislature. An article in the Cinncinatti Enquirer by Jon Craig looks at redistricting reform legislation currently being proposed:
A new bill from state Sen. Gary Cates, a Republican from West Chester, would add two new legislative leaders – one from each political party – to the five-member Apportionment Board, which redraws Ohio House and Senate district boundaries.
Cates’ plan would make it more difficult for one political party to control the process by requiring five – instead of three – votes to approve new legislative district maps.
“I firmly believe it’s something we need to move on and do it soon,” Cates said Friday. “What we’re trying to do is remove some political posturing and power-play moves by the parties and do something here that makes sense for the citizens.”
While Senate President Bill Harris, R-Ashland, said Cates’ bill will get a hearing, legislators from both political parties don’t think the process will change anytime soon as long as the Ohio House is nearly evenly divided by Democrats and Republicans.
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