Rep. Russo votes in opposition to Republican gerrymandered 13-2 congressional map, urges veto from the governor

Rep. Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) today issued a statement as Republicans passed a partisan, four-year congressional district map that unduly favors GOP candidates 13-2. 

“The process by which these congressional maps were drawn was extremely partisan, lacking in transparency, and failed to keep communities whole,” said Rep. Russo.  “It is clear from how the process unfolded that Republicans never intended to achieve a bipartisan, 10-year map.  The 13R – 2D map passed today will continue Ohio’s legacy of gerrymandering, in turn feeding the extremism and lack of accountability voters already see today.  When Ohioans demanded reforms to our redistricting process, this was not the outcome they were talking about.”  

Democrats offered a compromise set of district lines on the House floor Thursday, which they say better align with the fair district reforms voters passed in 2018. The Democratic amendment mirrored their compromise map, HB 483, and would have limited unwarranted splits in Ohio’s largest counties, kept more communities together, and better reflected the preferences of Ohio voters. The map also created three minority opportunity districts. Republicans rejected the good faith amendment.

Following the vote, Rep. Russo sent a letter to Gov. Mike DeWine urging a veto of the Republicans’ partisan 13-2 map, which says the map “violates the Ohio Constitution and flouts the will of the people of Ohio who demanded fair districts that follow explicit, strict anti-gerrymandering requirements.”

Click here to view a copy of Rep. Russo’s letter urging Gov. DeWine to veto SB 258.