Tagged: Ohio Redistricting

On their last day of work this year, state lawmakers have overwhelmingly approved a new map of Congressional districts and a new single date for the two statewide primaries that were scheduled next year. But as Ohio Public Radio’s Karen Kasler reports, the map flap finally came to an end in marathon sessions of the House and Senate.

State lawmakers wanting to re-establish a single 2012 primary for Ohio are trying to reach a deal on a date.

Action on a bill calling for one primary next year was temporarily delayed by an Ohio House panel on Wednesday so lawmakers could meet behind closed doors to continue discussing the timing.

Under the bill, separate primaries set for March and June would be reunited on May 22. Candidates including presidential contenders would have until March 8 to file. Those who met a deadline last week would not have to re-file.

Public documents obtained by Ohio voter advocates show a key representative of U.S. House Speaker John Boehner was central in drawing the state's disputed congressional map.

Records released today by the Ohio Campaign for Accountable Redistricting show Tom Whatman, executive director of Team Boehner, participated in the process with legislative leaders, mapmaking consultants and the National Republican Congressional Committee. The correspondence includes a pledge by GOP Senate President Tom Niehaus  to deliver "a map that Speaker Boehner fully supports."

Candidates who want to run for one of Ohio’s 16 Congressional seats have to file petitions today, even though the primary they’d run in isn’t set till June. Ohio Public Radio’s Karen Kasler reports that’s because there’s still talk about merging that primary with the ones set for March into some other springtime date.

Right now, there are two primaries scheduled in Ohio next year. A group of Democratic elections workers is pleading for state lawmakers to merge next year’s two primaries back into a single event. Ohio Public Radio’s Karen Kasler reports the situation is still fluid, with a key filing deadline just hours away.