A federal court ordered the state to go ahead with one of the redistricting maps in a second fall primary election. Our Kevin Coleman spoke to one of the candidates up for re-election.
State Representative Mark Johnson was at the Ross County Republican Party's "Declaration of Candidates" Tuesday. He explained that the battle over redrawing Ohio's districts is over...for now.
Johnson said that in addition to lawsuits taking the redistricting to the Ohio Supreme Court - where they have all been rejected - other lawsuits took it to the 6th Federal Circuit Court. That court decided that if the state would not settle on a map by May 28th, they would.
He said the court chose the third set of maps that the state commission came up with, and ordered that the second part of the primary election will be August 2nd. Candidates in that election will be only state senators and representatives, and Republican and Democratic state central committee members.
But the court said this is only for two years, and the maps will need to be re-decided for the next state election.
Johnson says the voter turnout is expected to be only two to three percent.
He says in his 92nd District, he looses everything west and north of Chillicothe, but gains Vinton, Hocking, and part of Perry counties.
Kevin Coleman covers local government and culture
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The old version of Mark Johnson's Ohio House District 92