FAIR DISTRICTS BASICS

Ohio voters have overwhelmingly supported fair districts! We rejected the old ways when maps were drawn in secret "bunkers".

Voters should choose their legislators; legislators should not get to choose their voters.

What is Redistricting?

Every decade, after the census takes place, states draw new district maps for congressional and state legislative districts. The process for drawing these new maps varies for every state, but all states must redraw the districts with the new population data from the census.

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Why do we do redistricting?

The US constitution requires that states redraw district lines to make sure the new population numbers are reflected in our congressional and state representatives’ districts. If people move around in the state or relocate to other states, it impacts how the districts are drawn, and may result in a change in the number of representatives that state has in Congress. Ohio's slow growth rate in comparison to other states - a 2.3% increase since the 2010 census - has resulted in the loss of 1 congressional seat, bringing Ohio's congressional apportionment count to 15. 

What is apportionment? 

Apportionment of Congressional seats is in the US Constitution. The US Census Bureau is tasked with counting all the people in the United States every ten years. This department conducted the 2020 Census and is now tasked with one of their most important jobs, apportionment. The Census Bureau will first determine the total population of the United States and then apportion or determine how many seats in the US House of Representatives each state will receive for the following decade (2021-2031). There are 435 seats to be divided by population. In the past decade, Ohio had 16 congressional districts but it is likely that the state will have fewer going forward.

What is the process for redistricting?

There are two different processes for redistricting in Ohio. The rules for these processes were created by the new redistricting reforms passed in 2015 and 2018. Congressional districts will have their own rules and so will the Ohio Senate and House. You can learn more about these two processes from our friends at Common Cause. However, you do not need to be an expert to get involved!