Overview

• The Joint Committee held its first required public hearing on Sept. 22, with only Democrats presenting a draft map.
• Democrats proposed an 8 Republican–leaning and 7 Democratic–leaning district split, arguing it better reflects statewide voting patterns.
• Republican leaders rejected the Democrats’ partisan balance but offered no counter‑map and signaled the Sept. 30 deadline will not be met.
• Under state law, the Ohio Redistricting Commission has until Oct. 31 to approve a bipartisan map, after which GOP legislative supermajorities can pass a one‑party map in November.
• Ohio currently has a 10–5 Republican advantage in its 15 U.S. House seats, and the final lines could influence control of the U.S. House in 2026, with another hearing expected next week.