September 15

Critics say GOP congressional map will add to political dysfunction

By  Jim Siegel

The Columbus Dispatch Thursday September 15, 2011 7:35 AM

A coalition that is pushing lawmakers to draw congressional districts that are more compact and competitive said yesterday that only two of the 16 new GOP-drawn districts would be politically competitive.

Neither is in central Ohio.

Jim Slagle, manager of the Ohio Campaign for Accountable Redistricting, said 14 of 16 districts have political indexes of at least 55 percent favoring one of the parties, a status that the group defines as uncompetitive. The group made its evaluation with data from the 2008 presidential election and the 2010 elections for governor, auditor and secretary of state.
http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2011/09/15/critics-say-map-will-add-to-political-dysfunction.html

Mecklenborg replacement Terhar sworn in

5:37 pm, Sep 14, 2011 | Written by cweiser

Cincinnati Enquirer

New state Rep. Louis Terhar, R-Green Twp., sworn in by House Speaker Bill Batchelder Sept. 14, 2011

New west side State Rep. Louis Terhar was sworn in today.  Here’s the release:

Speaker of the Ohio House William G. Batchelder (R-Medina) has announced that retired U.S. Navy Commander Louis F. Terhar has been sworn in as state representative of the 30th Ohio House District during today’s House session.
http://cincinnati.com/blogs/politics/2011/09/14/mecklenborg-replacement-terhar-sworn-in/

Congressional redistricting plan sent to full House

BY JIM PROVANCE
TOLEDO BLADE COLUMBUS BUREAU CHIEF

COLUMBUS -- A little more than a day after its unveiling, a proposed congressional map that critics charge exceeds their worst political fears was sent to the full House yesterday.

The House State Government and Elections Committee voted 14-5 along party lines to recommend passage of a map that will guide congressional elections for the next decade.

A court challenge is a near certainty, and there's talk by Democrats of circulating petitions to subject the bill to a voter referendum.

http://www.toledoblade.com/Politics/2011/09/15/Congressional-redistricting-plan-sent-to-full-House.html

Redistricting Dems say new map 'stinks'

By MARC KOVAC
Wooster Daily Record
Dix Capital Bureau
COLUMBUS -- Over the continued objections of Democrats, an Ohio House legislative committee signed off Wednesday on GOP-written congressional district lines, setting up a floor vote as early as today.
Democrats wanted at least two more weeks of public hearings on the maps.
"But at this point it doesn't look like the House majority is going to honor that request," said Minority leader Armond Budish, a Democrat from the Cleveland area. "Instead, the House is going to barrel ahead with new congressional maps that split apart communities, carve up counties, mash together towns and cities that have absolutely no common interests."
House Bill 319, which outlines the technical language setting boundaries for the state's 16 new districts, moved out of the State Government and Elections Committee on a party-line vote. And leaders of the Republican-controlled chamber indicated they were not willing to postpone final action on the bill.
http://www.the-daily-record.com/news/article/5096002

Redistricting Plan Moves Despite Democratic Objections, Requests for More Time

Hannah Report 9/14/11

A new congressional redistricting map is headed for the House floor Thursday along with legislation delaying the 2012 primary after both cleared the committee process just over 24 hours after they were introduced.

Democrats on the House State Government and Elections Committee continued to complain about the process for HB319 (Huffman), the new congressional map they said needs more study time because of the number of district shifts and affected populations.

They were joined by Catherine Turcer of Ohio Citizen Action and Jim Slagle of the Ohio Campaign for Accountable Redistricting, who returned for the second day to share how the new plan would have scored in the group's most recent redistricting competition. The answer: dead last, and Slagle said he was surprised to see a plan score so far below the group's lowest submission.

http://www.hannah.com/DesktopDefaultPublic.aspx?type=hns&id=187118

House Welcomes Terhar, Honors Deceased Members

Hannah Report 9/14/11

In a short session Wednesday, the house welcomed its newest member while paying tribute to two recently deceased former members

Members of the House Republican Caucus unanimously voted to fill the vacant 30th House District seat with Louis Terhar, a retired commander of the U.S. Navy.

House Speaker William Batchelder (R-Medina) remarked that it was the first time the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff had called him on a recommendation for a vacancy.

http://www.hannah.com/DesktopDefaultPublic.aspx?type=hns&id=187113

SPEAKER DEFENDS CONGRESSIONAL MAP; HOUSE SEATS NEW MEMBER

Gongwer 09/14/11

Speaker Bill Batchelder (R-Medina) on Wednesday defended the new Republican-carved congressional map, saying it would provide for more competitive districts than critics have claimed.
The speaker said he had no plans to hold up the House vote on the plan (SB 319 ) and a concurrent bill to move back the state's presidential primary election date from March to May (HB 318 ) despite the protests of House Minority Leader Armond Budish (D-Beachwood).
Rep. Budish withdrew his support for moving the primary date upon discovering the GOP's fast-tracked plans for the new congressional map.
http://www.gongwer-oh.com/programming/news_articledisplay.cfm?article_ID=801780202&newsedition_id=8017802&locid=2

PRIMARY ELECTION DATE CHANGE MOVES TO FLOOR VOTE

Gongwer 09/14/11

A plan to delay next year's primary election cleared a House panel Wednesday with all Democrats present voting in opposition.
The bill, which is scheduled for a floor vote Thursday, is designed to delay the presidential primary from March to May to allow more time as Ohio completes the process of redrawing Congressional and General Assembly district boundaries.
The House State Government & Elections Committee heard no testimony on the measure (HB 318 ), but members warned of litigation that could ensue if districts are not finalized prior to the candidate filing deadline.
Although Speaker Bill Batchelder (R-Medina) and Minority Leader Armond Budish (D-Beachwood) previously announced an agreement to support the date change, bipartisanship dissolved earlier this week as Democrats objected to Republicans' plan to quickly adopt redistricting maps.
http://www.gongwer-oh.com/programming/news_articledisplay.cfm?article_ID=801780203&newsedition_id=8017802&locid=2