© 2025 WOSU Public Media
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

First Meeting Of Ohio Redistricting Committee Draws Critics

Ohio Congressional Map for 113th Congress
U.S. Geological Survey

Citizens from around Ohio came to the Statehouse to tell lawmakers why the current process to draw Congressional district lines isn’t working. The Congressional redistricting group met for the first time Thursday, with a goal of putting a plan before voters next year.

Central Ohio resident Nancy Vaughn was one of the people who testified to the bipartisan committee charged with coming up with a new process for drawing Ohio's Congressional map.

"Would we accept a rigged sporting event in Ohio? Nope. No way. So how is it then that we have accepted cheating in our Democratic process?”

Vaughn and others say the current process allows the party in power to construct districts that favor their candidates. And they say that leads to hyper-partisanship and chaos in government.

The working group is supposed to come up with a plan that could go before voters next spring. If that happens and it passes, it could circumvent a citizens led ballot measure that is on track to go before voters next November.

Jo Ingles is a professional journalist who covers politics and Ohio government for the Ohio Public Radio and Television for the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau. She reports on issues of importance to Ohioans including education, legislation, politics, and life and death issues such as capital punishment.