The Ohio Supreme Court dismissed a challenge to the state’s Republican-drawn congressional district maps Thursday after opponents motioned to drop the case, enabling the maps to be used in 2024.
The state’s high court previously found the maps unconstitutionally favored Republicans in a 4-3 decision last year, striking them down as partisan gerrymandering. But after the Supreme Court vacated that ruling in June and directed the conservative-majority court to take a second look in light of its decision in a North Carolina redistricting case, opponents decided to drop the challenge.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio told the court Tuesday it would settle for the current maps “in lieu of the continued turmoil brought about by cycles of redrawn maps and ensuing litigation.”
“Petitioners have no desire to launch another round of maps and challenges, given the recent history of map-drawing in Ohio,” the filing said. “To leave in place that March 2, 2022 plan through the 2024 cycle offers Ohio voters much-needed certainty.” (RELATED: Here Are The Supreme Court Elections To Watch In Crucial Swing States)
🚨Redistricting Update: On Tuesday, the plaintiffs who had challenged the 2022 Ohio congressional map asked the Ohio Supreme Court to dismiss the case. 🧵https://t.co/b8BckzW4kz
— ACLU of Ohio (@acluohio) September 5, 2023
Democrats won five of the 15 House of Representatives seats under the Republican-drawn map in 2022, flipping one Republican incumbent’s seat, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
A group called Citizens Not Politicians is pushing to include an amendment to reform the state’s system for drawing legislative maps on the 2024 ballot, and resubmitted its petition with new language Tuesday after their first attempt was rejected by the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, according to The Associated Press.
The ACLU of Ohio did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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