Petitioners Ask Ohio Supreme Court to Enforce Order Against the Ohio Redistricting Commission

In response to the Ohio Redistricting Commission’s defiance of an order from the Ohio Supreme Court to produce a new set of legislative maps, the petitioners in Ohio Organizing Collaborative v. Ohio Redistricting Commission filed a motion today asking the court to enforce that order. The petitioners propose that the court require the commission to explain why it should not be held in contempt for failing to draw new maps. The petitioners, who are represented by the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU Law and Reed Smith, are 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:

“For the third time, the Ohio Redistricting Commission has shown its indifference to the Ohio Constitution and the Ohio Supreme Court. The court’s orders have been clear: produce fair and proportional legislative maps. The commissioners have an obligation to the court and the people of Ohio to explain why they are abdicating their responsibility to ensure fair representation for all Ohioans.”

Patrick Yingling, partner at Reed Smith, had the following comment:

“The commission’s refusal to draw a new legislative plan is a dereliction of duty. The commissioners must draw legislative maps that are representative of Ohioans’ political preferences. We are calling on them to explain why they have failed to meet their obligations.”

The motion, the court’s order, and more filings and background on Ohio Organizing Collaborative v. Ohio Redistricting Commission are available here.

Related resources:

• “Ohio Supreme Court Orders Second Redrawing of Legislative Maps Due to Partisan Gerrymandering,” Brennan Center for Justice press release, Feb. 7, 2022
• “Victory for Ohioans: Ohio Supreme Court Throws Out Legislative Maps for Illegal Partisan Gerrymandering,” Brennan Center for Justice press release, Jan. 12, 2022
• “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 Téllez, 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 
• “We’re Suing Ohio Over Its Gerrymandered Voting District Maps” by Alicia Bannon, Yurij Rudensky, and Julia Kirschenbaum, Brennan Center for Justice