Students, educators can now enter Ohio Education Association’s redistricting contest through June 1, 2021

By EditorApr 20, 2021

On Monday the Ohio Education Association extended its May 1st deadline for entries into the association's Design Ohio’s Future contest to June 1. The contest invites students and educators to submit nonpartisan redistricting maps. Read the press release below: DEADLINE EXTENSION: Students, educators can now enter Ohio Education Association’s redistricting contest through June 1, 2021 [April 19, 2021] As Ohio’s lawmakers prepare to once again redraw the state legislative and congressional district maps, Ohio students and educators are being asked to try their own hands at redistricting as part of the Ohio Education Association’s Design Ohio’s Future contest. Although the contest…

Redistricting, REFORMOhio, STATENEWS

16 States Join in Alabama’s Challenge to the Census Bureau’s Data Privacy Program

By EditorApr 14, 2021

On Monday, 16 states joined Alabama in deriding the U.S. Census Bureau's newly adapted data privacy policy (aka differential privacy) which uses statistical algorithms to distort raw census data before it is released to states and the public. The states who jointly filed as amici in Alabama's lawsuit against the Bureau are Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, West Virginia, and Utah. The amicus brief filed on behalf of these states lists three "major harms" caused by differential privacy. 1) local redistricting cannot be conducted with any reasonable accuracy; 2)…

Case Updates, Casedocs, DATA and TECHNOLOGY, LATEST, NEWS, RedistrictingAlabama, Alaska, arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, lawindepth, louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, STATENEWS, Texas, Utah, West Virginia

Ohio’s Lawsuit Over Census Data Delay is Dismissed by Federal Court

By EditorMar 24, 2021

Earlier today, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio denied Ohio's request to the court for an order compelling the U.S. Census Bureau to deliver redistricting data to the state by the statutory deadline of March 31. Ultimately the court denied the request for a preliminary injunction for lack of standing because the Census Bureau's failure to meet its deadline in and of itself does not constitute a redressable injury, explaining that "A litigant is not concretely injured and standing is not met simply because a statute creates a legal obligation that goes unfulfilled." In an opinion…

Case Updates, Census Data and Geography, Census Law, LATEST, LAW, NEWS, Redistricting, Redistricting Litigationlawindepth, lpother, Ohio, STATENEWS

Ohio Fires First Salvo in Court Over Delayed Census Redistricting Data

By EditorMar 01, 2021

On Thursday, Ohio became the first state to sue the U.S. Census Bureau over late redistricting data. After the Bureau announced it would delay the release of the data on the statutory deadline of March 31, postponing release to Sept 30, the Ohio Attorney General filed suit in federal district court to request data delivery for Ohio either on the statutory date or on the earliest date possible. The complaint challenges the decision of the Census Bureau to delay data delivery to the States due to processing delays caused by Covid-19 and its focus on delivering apportionment data to the…

Case Updates, Casedocs, Redistricting, Redistricting Litigationcensus, census 2020, Ohio, STATENEWS, U.S. Census Bureau

Several Ohio Election Administration Practices Invalidated by Courts

By EditorJun 10, 2016

Ohio - A federal judge blocked several restrictions on the casting and counting of absentee ballots instituted by the Republican Secretary of State. This is the second defeat to GOP-backed voting restrictions in the state in the last two weeks. GOP voting procedures have been rebuffed on constitutional grounds by both Democrat and Republican judges. Officials still plan to appeal. Read more in the Columbus Dispatch. Another federal judge restored the state's elimination of a specific time period that eligible voters could register and cast an absentee ballot on the same day. A shortened early voting period was also restored. Read more in…

REFORMelection administration, Ohio, voter ID, voters

Weekly Update

By EditorOct 19, 2015

Florida: Special Session for Redistricting Begins With its congressional map tied up in the courts, legislators in Florida have convened a another special session to redraw state senate lines in an effort to head off court invalidation. It is scheduled to last three weeks and state news organizations report it is likely to be a contentious one. You can view the current districts and 6 proposed map that have been unveiled so far. Ohio: Redistricting Ballot Measure Not as Sexy as Other Issues Good government groups backing Ohio Ballot Issue 1 are up against widespread ignorance about the proposal.…

Redistricting, REFORMFlorida, Ohio, Texas, texas redistricting

Redistricting Reform Moves Through Ohio Legislature

By EditorJan 07, 2015

Republicans have controlled state redistricting in Ohio for the past three decades through control of Ohio Apportionment Board. They are ceding a good deal of that power over redistricting by passing a reform bill last month that would give the minority substantial say over the final map. The bill " . . . would add two members, one from each party. And if the minority-party members did not approve of the district maps, the changes would last only four years, not the traditional 10" By shortening the lifespan of a "contested" redistricting map, the legislation gives incentive to the party in…

Redistricting Commissions, Redistricting LitigationOhio