House approves redistricting map
Democrats vow to fight ‘unfair’ plan
By Jim Siegel
A Republican-drawn congressional map that gives the GOP a good chance to win 12 of the 16 new districts passed the House yesterday and moved to the Senate, with support from three black Cleveland-area Democrats.
The Senate is likely to move quickly, with a vote as soon as Wednesday on both the new map and a separate bill to change the 2012 primary from March to May.
However, the state is still potentially facing uncharted legal territory on the timing of the 2012 primary and when the new congressional maps will take effect. House Speaker William G. Batchelder, R-Medina, said there is still a possibility of holding two primaries next year — one for state candidates and one for federal.
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2011/09/16/house-approves-redistricting-map.html
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2011/09/16/house-approves-redistricting-map.html
House approves new districts map
Democrats are planning a possible referendum to ask voters to reject it.
Dayton Daily News
COLUMBUS — Thursday was a big day for Republicans, as they took a big first step toward creating a map of 16 new Ohio U.S. House districts that would appear to give the GOP control of the state’s congressional delegation for the next 10 years.
The days ahead could be big for lawyers interested in election law.
Hours before the House vote, Ohio Democratic Chairman Chris Redfern said Democrats are “prepared to use every tool at our disposal to fight this unfair, anti-voter congressional map.”
Ohio House Republicans pass new congressional map, but future of plan is unclear
Published: Thursday, September 15, 2011, 6:30 PM Updated: Friday, September 16, 2011, 7:52 AM
Little else was clear, including whether Ohio Democrats would act on a threat to try to block the redistricting plan at the ballot box or the courtroom. Also complicating the process is a separate bill approved Thursday pushing back the 2012 primary from March to May.
Another question is how united Democrats are in opposition to the new map, given that a trio of black Cleveland Democrats -- Reps. Sandra Williams, William Patmon and John Barnes -- joined GOP forces in voting for the measure. It passed by a vote of 56 to 36, as three Republicans hopped the fence to join Democrats in opposition.
http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2011/09/house_republicans_pass_new_con.html
Redrawing Ohio
Published: September 15, 2011 - 07:00 PM
Akron Beacon Journal
Ohio rates as a battleground state for a reason. Democrats and Republicans compete vigorously for votes in presidential elections. Barack Obama carried the state. So did George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton and Ronald Reagan. The divide is narrow. So, you would expect competitive races for the U.S. House, too.
That would be ideal, and attainable in many respects by those drawing the district lines. Unfortunately, Speaker Bill Batchelder and his fellow Republicans at the Statehouse see the landscape differently. They have rushed to approve a redrawing of congressional districts that features 12 leaning heavily to Republicans, and four doing the same for Democrats. Republicans safely in command of three-quarters of the districts? That falls far short of the competitiveness of the state.
The speaker insists the districts are more competitive than critics allow. Remember a few weeks ago, Bachhelder lamenting the prospect of an ugly battle over Issue 2, the referendum on collective-bargaining changes taken to the extreme by the speaker’s own troops? His words about the new district lines carry about as much credibility.
http://www.ohio.com/editorial/editorials/redrawing-ohio-1.235208
http://www.ohio.com/editorial/editorials/redrawing-ohio-1.235208
Legislators vote to move primary date
Published: Fri, September 16, 2011 @ 12:00 a.m.
By Marc Kovac
Youngstown Vindicator
The Ohio House OK’d legislation Thursday moving next year’s presidential primary from March to May 8, sending the bill to the Ohio Senate for its expected approval.
House Bill 318 passed on a vote of 63-29, with several Democrats joining the majority Republicans in approving.
Comparable legislation was passed earlier this year as part of a larger Republican-backed election-reform package. But opponents, who say the bill will make it harder for elderly, poor and minority residents to vote, are collecting signatures with hopes of placing the legislation before voters in November 2012.
Ohio House approves redistricting bill
By Robert Wang
CantonRep.com staff writer
Posted Sep 15, 2011 @ 03:02 PM
Last update Sep 15, 2011 @ 09:36 PM
CANTON — Ohio House Republicans Thursday passed a redistricting bill that would divide Stark County into three congressional districts for the first time in its history.
But they had to do it without the help of state Rep. Kirk Schuring, R-Jackson Township.
He was one of five Republicans to vote against the legislation, which would establish new Ohio congressional district boundary lines for the next decade to reflect population shifts reported by the 2010 census.
Schuring said Stark County residents would find themselves in three districts that span well more than a dozen counties.
But they had to do it without the help of state Rep. Kirk Schuring, R-Jackson Township.
He was one of five Republicans to vote against the legislation, which would establish new Ohio congressional district boundary lines for the next decade to reflect population shifts reported by the 2010 census.
Schuring said Stark County residents would find themselves in three districts that span well more than a dozen counties.
http://www.cantonrep.com/newsnow/x848576733/Ohio-House-approves-redistricting-bill
House Passes Redistricting Plan; Senate May Vote Next Week
Hannah Report 9/15/11
The House Thursday passed a congressional redistricting plan nearly 48 hours after it was unveiled while Democrats continued to criticize the speed of the process. (See separate story, this issue.)
The vote on HB319 (Huffman), which cuts Ohio's congressional districts down to 16, was split mostly along party lines. Three Democrats -- Reps. John Barnes Jr., Bill Patmon, and Sandra Williams, all of Cleveland -- voted in favor of the bill while five Republicans -- Reps. Jarrod Martin (Beavercreek), Kirk Schuring (Canton), Ross McGregor (Springfield), Robert Hackett (London) and Rex Damschroder (Fremont), voted against it.
Barnes spoke of his "yes" vote by noting that the map preserves an African American district in Northeast Ohio. He said that while he might have drawn things differently, his responsibility is to Northern Ohio and the city of Cleveland, and he is proud that the bill preserves the district currently held by U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Cleveland).
http://www.hannah.com/DesktopDefaultPublic.aspx?type=hns&id=187123
The House Thursday passed a congressional redistricting plan nearly 48 hours after it was unveiled while Democrats continued to criticize the speed of the process. (See separate story, this issue.)
The vote on HB319 (Huffman), which cuts Ohio's congressional districts down to 16, was split mostly along party lines. Three Democrats -- Reps. John Barnes Jr., Bill Patmon, and Sandra Williams, all of Cleveland -- voted in favor of the bill while five Republicans -- Reps. Jarrod Martin (Beavercreek), Kirk Schuring (Canton), Ross McGregor (Springfield), Robert Hackett (London) and Rex Damschroder (Fremont), voted against it.
Barnes spoke of his "yes" vote by noting that the map preserves an African American district in Northeast Ohio. He said that while he might have drawn things differently, his responsibility is to Northern Ohio and the city of Cleveland, and he is proud that the bill preserves the district currently held by U.S. Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Cleveland).
http://www.hannah.com/DesktopDefaultPublic.aspx?type=hns&id=187123
Redistricting: Democratic Party Speaks Out, May Take Issue to Ohioans
Hannah Report 9/15/11
Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern held a press conference on Thursday, discussing the redistricting map proposed by Statehouse Republicans, stating that he plans to use every legal and constitutional tool to fight what he calls an "unfair, anti-voter congressional map." A referendum campaign is not out of the question in the coming days.
Redfern took House Speaker Bill Batchelder (R-Medina) to task for his leadership concerning the drawing of the congressional map, stating that he has not worked in a bipartisan manner nor has he put enough thought or time into the proposal set forth.
He added that is it simply a matter of political priority and it has been the speaker's political priority to polarize the districts to favor Republicans, rather than drawing the districts for competitiveness, which he believes was the intent of then-Senator Jon Husted during the last General Assembly.
Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern held a press conference on Thursday, discussing the redistricting map proposed by Statehouse Republicans, stating that he plans to use every legal and constitutional tool to fight what he calls an "unfair, anti-voter congressional map." A referendum campaign is not out of the question in the coming days.
Redfern took House Speaker Bill Batchelder (R-Medina) to task for his leadership concerning the drawing of the congressional map, stating that he has not worked in a bipartisan manner nor has he put enough thought or time into the proposal set forth.
He added that is it simply a matter of political priority and it has been the speaker's political priority to polarize the districts to favor Republicans, rather than drawing the districts for competitiveness, which he believes was the intent of then-Senator Jon Husted during the last General Assembly.
http://www.hannah.com/DesktopDefaultPublic.aspx?type=hns&id=187124
Most members of the minority voted against the bill (HB 319 ), which cleared the chamber 56-36. Several Republicans also opposed the measure. (Roll Call)
Rep. Matt Huffman (R-Lima), the bill's sponsor and chairman of the House State Government & Elections Committee, said redrawing Congressional districts after each decennial census count was one of the most important duties the state legislature performs.
Because of Ohio's relatively slow population growth compared to other parts of the country, two members of the state's congressional delegation had to be eliminated, he said. The proposed map places two Republican and two Democratic incumbents into the same district and pits one Republican against one Democrat in another district.
http://www.gongwer-oh.com/programming/news_articledisplay.cfm?article_ID=801790201&newsedition_id=8017902&locid=2
Earlier in the day, the Ohio Democratic Party chief warned Republicans that they might pursue either option in challenging the GOP's new congressional map, which also cleared the House Thursday. (See separate story)
HOUSE REPUBLICANS PASS NEW CONGRESSIONAL MAPS OVER DEMOCRAT OBJECTIONS
Gongwer 9/15/11
Two days after unveiling the map that would outline congressional districts for a decade to come, House Republicans approved the plan Thursday with support from a handful of black Democrats.Most members of the minority voted against the bill (HB 319
Rep. Matt Huffman (R-Lima), the bill's sponsor and chairman of the House State Government & Elections Committee, said redrawing Congressional districts after each decennial census count was one of the most important duties the state legislature performs.
Because of Ohio's relatively slow population growth compared to other parts of the country, two members of the state's congressional delegation had to be eliminated, he said. The proposed map places two Republican and two Democratic incumbents into the same district and pits one Republican against one Democrat in another district.
http://www.gongwer-oh.com/programming/news_articledisplay.cfm?article_ID=801790201&newsedition_id=8017902&locid=2
HOUSE AMENDS PRIMARY ELECTION BILL TO AVOID FILING SNAFU; REDFERN THREATENS LAWSUIT, REFERENDUM
Gongwer 9/15/11
The House passed a measure Thursday to push back next year's primary election after adding language designed to bypass complications stemming from a potential lawsuit or referendum on redistricting.Earlier in the day, the Ohio Democratic Party chief warned Republicans that they might pursue either option in challenging the GOP's new congressional map, which also cleared the House Thursday. (See separate story)
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