CASE SUMMARY

On December 1, 2021, two Black Ohio voters filed a federal lawsuit against the Ohio Redistricting Commission, its members, and Ohio’s Attorney General challenging the state’s congressional and state Senate redistricting plans, as well as the at-large election method use in Mahoning County, as violating the U.S. Constitution and federal Voting Rights Act (“VRA”). Plaintiffs alleged that the congressional and state Senate plans and at-large election method diluted Black voters’ voting strength in violation of VRA § 2, were intentionally racially discriminatory against Black voters in violation of the 14th and 15th Amendments, and imposed significant burdens on the plaintiffs’ and other Black voters’ right to vote in violation of the 1st and 14th Amendments. They sought a judicial declaration the plans and at-large election method were unconstitutional and unlawful, a preliminary and permanent injunction barring the plans or at-large method from use in future elections, a court order requiring the defendants to implement a new, § 2 compliant election method for Mahoning County, and for the court to reduce the number of Ohio’s congressional seats to reflect their “deliberate dilution of Black voting power.”

  • On January 12, 2022, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio stayed the case for 60 days pending the Ohio Supreme Court’s resolution of partisan gerrymandering challenges brought against Ohio’s congressional and legislative plans.
  • On March 22, 2022, the plaintiffs moved to voluntarily dismiss their suit, which the court granted the following day.

Similar Cases: League of Women Voters of Ohio v. Ohio Redistricting Comm'n; Bennett v. Ohio Redistricting Comm'n; Ohio Organizing Collaborative v. Ohio Redistricting Comm'n; League of Women Voters of Ohio v. DeWine; Adams v. DeWine

CASE LIBRARY

U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio - No. 4:21-cv-2267