Ohio GOP Voter Suppression Law Hit With Immediate Legal Action

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Well, it appears that the states are all operating from the same unholy playbook. First, Virginia tries to gerrymander prisoners into one district instead of letting them be counted from their last known address. Now Ohio is up to the same bag of dark tricks that Ohio Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH) fell out of. Take a look.

The ACLU has just filed suit in Ohio going after its legislative maps that reflect “extreme partisan gerrymander.” This was just announced by the founder of Democracy Docket Marc E. Elias. He tweeted the breaking news about the 10-year event:

‘NEW: ACLU files new lawsuit challenging Ohio legislative maps as unconstitutional GOP gerrymanders.’Screen-Shot-2021-09-23-at-3.37.12-PM Ohio GOP Voter Suppression Law Hit With Immediate Legal Action Civil Rights Corruption Domestic Policy Featured Politics Top Stories

The Ohio ACLU tweeted its breaking news. It is suing the Ohio Redistricting Commission:

BREAKING We are suing the Ohio Redistricting Commission over the newly drawn maps for state House and Senate districts, which are an extreme partisan gerrymander. We are bringing this lawsuit on behalf of @lwvohio & @APRIMWRegion. #SeeYouInCourt’

Screen-Shot-2021-09-23-at-3.42.17-PM Ohio GOP Voter Suppression Law Hit With Immediate Legal Action Civil Rights Corruption Domestic Policy Featured Politics Top Stories

The ACLU also wrote key facts on Twitter:

  • ‘The Ohio Redistricting Commission — which is dominated by Republicans — approved the maps last week by a 5-2 party-line vote, in a blatant abuse of power.
  • ‘Partisan gerrymandering, like what’s happening in Ohio, violates the core principle of a representative democracy — that voters should choose our elected officials, not the other way around.
  • ‘This is the first litigation in the country challenging a passed statewide map this cycle. We won’t stop fighting until this new map is blocked.’

The ACLU said the maps were “an extreme partisan gerrymander,” according to Columbus’ NBC affiliate. The Ohio Redistricting Commission finalized State Senate and House maps just last week. Unfortunately, Ohio comes with an extended history of gerrymandering to seek out the Republicans’ most advantageous platform.

Thus far, over 100 advocates and citizens attended a rally close to the Ohio Statehouse on Tuesday calling for the legislators to draw fair maps.

On Thursday, the ACLU of Ohio, the American Civil Liberties Union, and Covington & Burling LLP filed its lawsuit in Ohio’s Supreme Court. It is challenging Ohio’s just-drawn maps for state House and Senate districts. The suit claims that they gave an “extreme and unfair advantage” to the Republican Party, according to The ACLU of Ohio.

The Ohio Redistricting Commission is made up of five Republicans and two Democrats, and they voted along party lines. Senior Staff Attorney with the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project Alora Thomas-Lundborg said:

‘If you want a clear lesson in partisan gerrymandering, this is it. This is a brazen abuse of power by the political party that is in control. Talk about the fox guarding the henhouse. Redistricting should not be a one-sided, rigged political process. Voters should pick their politicians. Politicians should not pick their voters.’

Republicans usually have from 46.2 percent and 59.7 percent of the vote. The gerrymandered map gives them 67 percent of the House districts, and 69 percent of the Senate districts favoring Republicans and “veto-proof supermajorities.”

Legal Director of the ACLU of Ohio Freda Levenson said this in the lawsuit:

‘This extreme partisan gerrymander is a flagrant violation of the Ohio Constitution. Several majority members of the Redistricting Commission candidly admitted as much, even as they voted to enact this manipulative scheme.’

‘Not only [is it] a violation of law, but is also a slap in the face to the people of this state…This brazen manipulation of district lines for extreme partisan advantage doubly dishonors the voters.’

President of the League of Women Voters of Ohio Jen Miller added:

‘The recently adopted Ohio Senate and Ohio House legislative maps disrespect voters and the Ohio Constitution…the Ohio Redistricting Commission’s rushed and chaotic process.’

‘The League of Women Voters of Ohio asks the Ohio Supreme Court to defend the rights of everyday Ohioans…rather be rigged to favor the short-sighted and selfish interests of political parties and candidates.’

President of the Ohio A. Philip Randolph Institute Andre Washington noted:

‘The gerrymandered map that was enacted disproportionately affects minority voters and minority communities and prevents people of color from having a meaningful impact in Ohio politics.’


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