AOTL Statement on Ohio’s Census Data Litigation Dismissal

For Immediate Release:
March 24, 2021

Contact:
Molly Mitchell
mitchell@redistrictingaction.org 

AOTL Statement on Ohio’s Census Data Litigation Dismissal

Map Drawers Need to Start Preparing for Redistricting

 Today a federal judge dismissed Ohio Attorney General David Yost’s lawsuit that attempted to force the U.S. Census Bureau to release incomplete data to the states for the purposes of redistricting. All On The Line (AOTL) Ohio has been vocally opposed to this misguided lawsuit, given that the Census Bureau needs time to ensure that the census count is complete and the redistricting data is as accurate as possible. This delay certainly presents some challenges to Ohio’s upcoming redistricting process. However, there are steps Governor DeWine, the legislature, and the Legislative Redistricting Task Force can take right now to help mitigate disruptions caused by the delay, including convening the redistricting commission, passing required public engagement legislation, and allocating funding to map drawers for tools and resources. 

 “It's time for Ohio’s map drawers and elected leaders to start living with the reality that we will receive redistricting data from the U.S. Census Bureau later than usual because of a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic and that’s fine. But it’s also important for Ohio to start seriously considering the need to extend our redistricting deadlines and potentially moving the primary to ensure that there’s ample opportunity for public input on proposed maps. And no matter when Ohio gets its Census data, the time to get to work to prepare for redistricting is now,” said AOTL Ohio State Director Katy Shanahan.

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