A new month, continued feet dragging on redistricting

If watching Congress has not been enough to make you wonder whether elected officials worry about doing any real work, or remember who they serve, Ohio lawmakers seem eager to answer with "No, not really." They missed their first deadline for congressional redistricting, on Sept. 30, according to a report by the Ohio Capital Journal. Despite Buckeye State voters demanding action when they passed a constitutional amendment back in 2018, members of the General Assembly appear to have decided they'd rather not bother to work together to pass a bipartisan map in the allotted time. They didn't even try. According to the Capital Journal, state Sen. Nickie Antonio, D-Lakewood, said "I'm pragmatic enough to know … that (lawmakers passing a map with bipartisan support) is not only unlikely but impossible. We do not have a session today." Sessions that had been scheduled on an "if needed" basis in both the state House and Senate were cancelled. So what happens next? The state constitution says if a bipartisan map is not adopted by the end of September, the process moves to the Ohio Redistricting Commission. The deadline for that part of the process is Oct. 31. Ohioans will remember this is the same commission that flatly refused to fulfill its responsibility on this matter last time around. Lawmakers from both parties are blaming each other for the intentional lapse. Again, those paying attention to Congress in the last few days will not be surprised, as all involved seem to have forgotten their job is to work TOGETHER to reach a workable compromise that serves the people, rather than their own agendas. At least on the matter of redistricting in Ohio, residents know for certain lawmakers are not doing that job. And, no matter how districts are drawn one day, those voters will remember.