Making Sense of Redistricting
The fight for fair districts in Ohio continues. We've gathered resources and answers to FAQs to help you understand where we are in this process, what it all means, and where do we go from where.
New Districts vs Old Districts
When do the new districts go into effect?
The current district maps for both state and congressional districts remain the correct map to determine who represents you until the next election winners take office in January 2023. The new districts are your voting districts and take effect ONLY for the elections in 2022.
Click here to find your current state legislators.
Click here to find your current U.S. Senators and Representative.
Click here to find your voting district
(Please note that these maps are subject to further judicial review.)
State Legislative Maps: The most recent legislative district map is still under review by the Ohio Supreme Court. If it passes the review of the court, it will be in effect from 2022 to 2026.
Ballotpedia offers a great tool to compare the old and new state legislative senate and house districts, with maps that can zoom in close to street level. Click here to be redirected to Ballotpedia. Please note the "new" maps are still under review by the Ohio Supreme court.
Congressional District Maps:
Although the most recent congressional district maps are being challenged, those races will be your ballot during the May 3 Primary election.
Go to VOTE 411 for a sample ballot and more information on candidates.
The Redistricting Timeline According to the Ohio Constitution
June, July, August, 2021
Public Hearings of the Ohio Redistricting Commission and the state legislature are expected to be held
August 16, 2021
Census data expected to be released in "legacy format"
September 1, 2021
Deadline for Ohio House and Ohio Senate legislative district maps.
September 30, 2021
Deadline for 10-year congressional district maps voted on by the Legislature. If approval is not reached, then move to Stage 2
October 30, 2021
Stage 2 - Deadline for 10-year congressional districts voted on by the Ohio Redistricting Commission.
If approval is not reached, then move to Stage 3
November 30, 2021
Stage 3 -Deadline for 10-year congressional districts voted on by the state legislature. If the maps from Stage 3 are not approved, then must move to Stage 4, 4-year congressional districts voted on by the state legislature.
Click here to learn more about the process outlined in the Ohio Constitution.
The Redistricting Timeline as it unfolds...
The U.S. Census Bureau delivered apportionment counts.
The U.S. Census Bureau delivered redistricting data to states in a legacy format.
Members of the Ohio Redistricting Commission released legislative redistricting proposals.
Members of the Ohio Redistricting Commission released legislative redistricting proposals.
The Ohio Redistricting Commission approved state legislative maps for four years in a 5-2 commission vote.
The U.S. Census Bureau released data from the 2020 census in an easier-to-use format to state redistricting authorities and the public.
A lawsuit was filed in the Ohio Supreme Court challenging Ohio's enacted legislative maps (League of Women Voters of Ohio v. Ohio Redistricting Commission).
A second lawsuit was filed in the Ohio Supreme Court challenging Ohio's enacted legislative maps (Bennett v. Ohio Redistricting Commission).
A third lawsuit was filed in the Ohio Supreme Court challenging Ohio's enacted legislative maps (Ohio Organizing Collaborative v. Ohio Redistricting Commission).
Members of the Ohio State Legislature released their final congressional map proposal.
The Ohio State Senate voted 24-7 to approve the congressional map.
The Ohio House of Representatives approved the congressional map in a 55-36 vote.
Governor Mike DeWine (R) signed the congressional map into law.
A lawsuit was filed in the Ohio Supreme Court challenging Ohio's enacted congressional map (Adams v. DeWine).
November 30, 2021
A second lawsuit was filed in the Ohio Supreme Court challenging Ohio's enacted congressional map (League of Women Voters of Ohio v. DeWine).
A federal lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio challenging Ohio's enacted congressional and state Senate maps (Simon v. DeWine).
The Ohio Supreme Court ruled against the state's enacted legislative maps and ordered the Ohio Redistricting Commission to redraw them within 10 days.
The Ohio Supreme Court ruled against the state's enacted congressional map and ordered the Ohio State Legislature to redraw it.
The Ohio Redistricting Commission voted 5-2 to approve a new set of state legislative maps.
The plaintiffs in three cases challenging the state legislative maps filed objections against the revised legislative maps
Thanks to a global pandemic, a delay in the release of Census data, and a party in power fighting to keep it that way, the redistricting timeline has has been delayed many times over.
Here's a picture of how things were supposed to happen, and how timeline is actually unfolding.
Redistricting Timeline