Rep. White: Republican Stalling Threatens Democracy After Failing to Introduce Bipartisan Congressional Redistricting Maps by First Deadline

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Erika White (D-Springfield Township) today reminded the Republican-controlled Joint Committee on Congressional Redistricting that they failed the people of Ohio in their stalling tactic and failure to advance any fair, constitutional maps, calling it another broken promise to the people of Ohio. 

“I firmly stand with my constituents and all Ohioans in demanding accountability.  We cannot continue down a path where politicians redraw lines to protect their power or attack their political foes rather than serving the people. We are long overdue to have maps that reflect the voice of all Ohio voters—maps that are fair, transparent, and constitutional. Every delay by the majority, every failure to pass a congressional map that is bipartisan and representative of every Ohioan is a deliberate choice to silence voters. These actions further diminish public trust and erode the very foundation of our democracy,” said Rep. White. 

Now that the Republican-controlled legislature has failed to introduce and pass a new congressional map as outlined in the Ohio Constitution, the process moves to the Republican-controlled Ohio Redistricting Commission. That commission has until October 31st to vote on a bipartisan map. If Republicans fail to act again, the process returns to the legislature where it has until November 31st to pass a map by a simple majority. 

“Republicans have deliberately stalled this process to obstruct this vital democratic process until November, enabling them to push through a map with nothing more than a simple majority of their own party—this is the sound of one hand clapping, a grave silence in our democracy, as power shifts from ‘we the people’ to the hands of politicians,” concluded Rep. White. “It is each of our responsibility to remind this legislature that our democracy belongs to the people.”