In this week's episode of Snollygoster, Ohio's politics podcast from WOSU, hosts Mike Thompson and Steve Brown discuss how lawmakers weave their way through constitutional rules to draw new legislative districts.
The Ohio Gerrymander Cicada
The new system voters approved in 2015 to create fairer legislative district maps did not work as lawmakers promised and reform advocates hoped.
The new commission has approved state legislative districts drawn in such a way that once again heavily favors Republicans. Because no Democrats on the commission voted for the map, the districts will remain in place for only 4 years, instead of the standard 10 years.
Under the new constitutional amendment, the commission was to "try" to draw districts that match Ohio’s political leanings. Ohio is roughly 55% Republican and 44% Democrat, but the new districts basically keep the legislature at 66% Republican, which would give the GOP a veto-proof two-thirds majority in both statehouse chambers.
Drawing new congressional district lines is the next project for the commission.
Snollygoster Of The Week
Former Ohio Treasurer and current U.S. Senate candidate Josh Mandel joined a crowd of protesters outside the Ohio Board of Education this week to speak out against critical race theory being taught in K-12 schools. While the theory has never been part of the school curriculum, it is an issue that riles up the right-wing base.
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