Ohio Dems give GOP deadline to deal on new map
Associated Press
Published: October 17, 2011 - 03:31 PM
COLUMBUS: Ohio’s Democratic Party chairman wants to know by the end of the week whether the state’s ruling Republicans are willing to compromise on a new congressional district map.
The current map, drawn by the GOP and signed into law in September, is on hold after the Ohio Supreme Court ruled on Friday that it is subject to possible repeal by voters. Senate Republicans had appropriated money to local elections boards in the bill in a move they hoped would make it effective immediately and shield it from repeal.
Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern told reporters on Monday that he hoped to hear from Republicans leaders by Friday whether they were willing to work on “a fair map with bipartisan support.”
http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/ohio-dems-give-gop-deadline-to-deal-on-new-map-1.240725
http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/ohio-dems-give-gop-deadline-to-deal-on-new-map-1.240725
Redistricting future unclear
Timing is everything in fight over GOP drawing of congressional districts
By Alan Johnson
A Democrat-driven referendum on new congressional-district lines drawn by majority Republicans could throw Ohio’s 2012 primary election into chaos.
The upheaval led to unusual options being batted around yesterday, including the possibility of scheduling different state and federal primary elections, forcing a statewide primary to come up with 16 congressional candidates for each party, or having federal judges draw new districts.
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2011/10/18/redistricting-future-unclear.html
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2011/10/18/redistricting-future-unclear.html
Dem press conference -Dem chairman calls for talks on new U.S. House map
Ohio Democratic Chairman Chris Redfern said Sunday that Democrats are prepared to gather the 231,150 signatures from registered voters to put a referendum on the November 2012 ballot on legislation creating 16 new U.S. House districts.
A better solution would be for Republican and Democratic legislative leaders to work on a new compromise plan for 16 new U.S. House districts, Redfern added.
House Speaker William Batchelder, R-Medina, said in a press release Monday, however, that Republicans “are astounded that Chairman Redfern is not interested in maintaining a fair and legal map, particularly since Democrats in the House and Senate clearly did not participate in the process until it was too late.”
http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/ohiopolitics/entries/2011/10/17/dem_chairman_calls_for_talks_o.html?cxtype=feedbot
http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/ohiopolitics/entries/2011/10/17/dem_chairman_calls_for_talks_o.html?cxtype=feedbot
Ohio Republicans ponder next move as Democrats vow to take new congressional map to ballot
Published: Tuesday, October 18, 2011, 6:00 AM Updated: Tuesday, October 18, 2011, 7:28 AM
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- With Ohio Democrats vowing to collect signatures to block a new congressional map at the ballot in 2012, Republican legislative leaders holed up Monday to sort through their options.It seems likely that Republicans will need to present an alternative congressional map that can gain the support of at least seven House Democrats, or take their chances in federal court, where new lines could end up being drawn. GOP lawmakers also could pass an alternative map without Democratic support, but that map would be subject to the same referendum process as the first map.
The possible scenarios emerged in the wake of a unanimous Ohio Supreme Court decision Friday that cleared the way for Democrats to gather signatures to take the recently approved congressional map to the November 2012 ballot. The ruling threw the once-a-decade redistricting process into disarray and left next year's congressional elections in limbo.
http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2011/10/republicans_ponder_next_move_a.html
Democratic chief Chris Redfern calls on Republicans to talk about a new congressional map (poll)
Published: Monday, October 17, 2011, 11:32 AM Updated: Monday, October 17, 2011, 1:21 PM
If Republicans refuse to draw a new map with input from Democrats, Redfern said the party is ready to gather signatures to put the map before voters next year.
"Districts must be fair, balanced and competitive all across this state," Redfern said.
Redfern held a news conference to talk about what happens now that the Ohio Supreme Court has cleared the way for a referendum on the congressional redistricting plan that Ohio Republicans pushed through the state legislature in September. The GOP-drawn map created 12 solidly Republican congressional districts and four that would be likely to be won by Democrats.
The court's unanimous decision announced Friday night threw those district lines into confusion and could threaten Ohio's ability to hold its congressional primary in March, as originally planned.
The court agreed that Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted must accept a referendum petition that a group Redfern leads called Ohioans for Fair Districts plans to submit to challenge the redistricting plan.
Redfern said lawmakers could delay next year's March primary until May or June to allow time to compromise on a new map.
Ohioans for Fair Districts said plans to request that the Supreme Court restart the 90-day window to collect signatures to repeal the bill. Ohio law gives petitioners 90 days after a bill is signed into law to collect signatures to replace a repeal of the law on the ballot.
Redfern said the group would give Republicans until Friday to indicate whether they are willing to discuss a compromise.
Dems issue ultimatum on redistricting
Published: Tue, October 18, 2011 @ 12:00 a.m.
By Marc Kovac
COLUMBUS
The Ohio Democratic Party has issued an ultimatum to the Republican-controlled state Legislature: Redraw the state’s congressional districts with input from the minority party or face a battle at the ballot box.
Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern also called on the Ohio House and Senate to postpone next year’s primary election, scheduled for March, to allow time to negotiate and implement the new maps.
http://www.vindy.com/news/2011/oct/18/dems-issue-ultimatum-on-redistricting/
http://www.vindy.com/news/2011/oct/18/dems-issue-ultimatum-on-redistricting/
Medina's Batchelder blasts Dem leader in wake of court redistricting decision
Published: Tuesday, October 18, 2011, 1:50 PM Updated: Tuesday, October 18, 2011, 2:12 PM
MEDINA Finger pointing and strong words continue after Ohio’s Supreme Court cleared the way Oct. 14 for a referendum on a new congressional redistricting plan Ohio Republicans hurried through the state legislature last month.
The unanimous decision by the justices has thrown the redistricting map back to its creators and places in jeopardy Ohio’s ability to have a congressional primary next March.
Following the Ohio Supreme Court’s ruling that the people of Ohio can exercise their right to wage a referendum against the Republicans’ Congressional maps, Ohioans for Fair Districts held a press conference Oct. 17 to call on Republican leaders to sit down with Democrats and redraw the Congressional lines.
http://www.cleveland.com/medina/index.ssf/2011/10/medinas_batchelder_blasts_dem.htmlDems Ask Supreme Court to Restart Referendum Clock, Call for New Map
Hannah Report 10/17/11
Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern Monday said that in the wake of Friday's Ohio Supreme Court ruling allowing for a referendum on the new congressional map, Democrats will ask the Court to restart the 90-day clock that opponents would have to collect signatures. (See The Hannah Report, 10/14/11.)
Redfern also called for legislative Republicans to come to the table and negotiate a new map that is more fair, but said those negotiations would need to be held soon.
"This is a great opportunity for Speaker (William) Batchelder and President (Tom) Niehaus to come together with their Democratic colleagues and do the right thing," Redfern said.
Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern Monday said that in the wake of Friday's Ohio Supreme Court ruling allowing for a referendum on the new congressional map, Democrats will ask the Court to restart the 90-day clock that opponents would have to collect signatures. (See The Hannah Report, 10/14/11.)
Redfern also called for legislative Republicans to come to the table and negotiate a new map that is more fair, but said those negotiations would need to be held soon.
"This is a great opportunity for Speaker (William) Batchelder and President (Tom) Niehaus to come together with their Democratic colleagues and do the right thing," Redfern said.
http://www.hannah.com/DesktopDefaultPublic.aspx?type=hns&id=187428
In preparation for some sort of legislative response, the Senate has teed up a stalled primary date measure (HB 318 ) for action in the Government Reform & Oversight Committee, which has hearings set for Wednesday and Thursday, if needed.
The Senate has set potential session days for Wednesday and Thursday, and a spokesman for Speaker Bill Batchelder (R-Medina) said a House session is in the works for Friday.
http://www.gongwer-oh.com/programming/news_articledisplay.cfm?article_ID=802000201&newsedition_id=8020002&locid=2
REDISTRICTING DECISION SOWS CONFUSION OVER UPCOMING ELECTION; SESSIONS PLANNED IN RESPONSE
Gongwer 10/17/11
Last week's high court ruling that allowed Democrats to proceed with a referendum on new congressional district maps has sown disarray among elections officials and prompted GOP leaders Monday to call lawmakers back to work this week.In preparation for some sort of legislative response, the Senate has teed up a stalled primary date measure (HB 318
The Senate has set potential session days for Wednesday and Thursday, and a spokesman for Speaker Bill Batchelder (R-Medina) said a House session is in the works for Friday.
http://www.gongwer-oh.com/programming/news_articledisplay.cfm?article_ID=802000201&newsedition_id=8020002&locid=2
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