COLUMBUS, Ohio – A bipartisan agreement to overhaul the way Ohio draws its legislative districts has passed the state Senate after negotiations carried into Friday morning.
The Senate passed the measure 28-1. The revised proposal would need to be approved by the House and voters.
The compromise quickly won the support of the state’s top elections official.
“Legislative elections will be more competitive and the elected representatives more accountable to those they serve. The voice of the average voter got stronger today. I encourage Ohio voters to vote in favor of this proposal when it comes to the ballot,” Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted said in a statement released by his office Friday morning.
The state alters district lines to reflect population shifts identified by the U.S. Census every 10 years. The process is called redistricting. Both political parties have acknowledged flaws in Ohio’s system, which is frequently criticized as partisan.
The measure would create a seven-member panel to redraw lines. Two minority-party votes would be needed to adopt the boundaries for the 10-year period. Lacking those votes, the majority would draw them. They would initially be good for four years, and then the panel would try again.