The Ohio Redistricting Commission unveiled new proposed maps last week that could determine state legislative lines for the state for the next decade. The process was last completed in 2011 by the Ohio General Assembly. Following a statewide vote in 2015, the Ohio Redistricting Commission was formed to draw the new maps.
The bipartisan commission is made up of the Governor, Secretary of State, State Auditor, one appointee of the majority party in the House and Senate, and one appointee of the minority party in the House and Senate. The current make-up of the commission is five Republicans and two Democrats.
Under the proposed map, Adams County would see no changes, unlike 2011. Ten years ago, the county was split between the 88th and 89th District, then represented by former Representatives Danny Bubp and Todd Book. After the 2011 redistricting, Adams County was placed into a new 90th House District and Terry Johnson was subsequently elected to represent the entire county. Two years ago, following term-limited Terry Johnson, Adams County’s Brian Baldridge was elected to serve the 90th House District which includes a small portion of Lawrence County and all of Adams and Scioto Counties.
Under the proposed map, Baldridge will give up Lawrence County and will now represent all of Scioto and Adams, along with nearly half of Brown County.
Very few changes will also take place in the Ohio Senate District that currently covers Adams County. Senator Terry Johnson will give up the small portion of the district in Lawrence County and the rest of the Senate District will stay the same.
By law, the new maps must be approved by the middle of September, however, there have been several setbacks because of the delay in receiving the census data provided by the federal government. According to the law, in order for the maps to be used for ten years, there must be a bipartisan vote, which means that both Democrats, Rep. Emilia Sykes and Sen. Vernon Sykes, a father and daughter duo, must vote in favor. If a bipartisan vote does not occur, the maps will only be used for four years instead of ten.
