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However, the ultimate fate of decisions made in Ohio and Michigan will likely depend on how the Supreme Court will deal with gerrymandering cases in two other states: Maryland and North Carolina. Cases involving cards from these states were debated in court in March, and its eventual decision would likely determine the outcome of appeals filed in Ohio and Michigan as well. States will likely ask the courts to suspend recent rulings, as they examine the affairs of Maryland and North Carolina
Attorney General of Ohio, Dave Yost, tweeted Friday that the state would appeal.
"The Ohioians have already voted in favor of a reform of how we draw our Congress cards," tweeted Yost. "This opinion withdraws this decision from the people and constitutes a fundamentally political act without any foundation in the Constitution and Ohio will seek the suspension of this decision and will appeal."
If the decision in Ohio is upheld, it would be a boon to the Democrats. The Republicans who control the state government currently hold 12 of the 16 congressional seats, a margin they probably would not be able to keep under new cards because the state is competitive even though it has favored the government. GOP over the last decade.
The three-judge panel – made up of two judges appointed by the Democratic presidents and a Republican president – felt that Ohio's cards were designed to favor the GOP.
"We are convinced by the evidence that this partisan gerrymander was intentional and effective and that no legitimate justification justifies its end," said Judges Karen Moore, Timothy Black and Michael Watson in a 300-page notice.
Judges found that a 2012 map "dilutes the votes of Democratic voters by placing them and separating them in constituencies that are so biased in favor of a party that election results are predetermined."
They said the map could not be used by 2020 and that a "constitutionally viable" replacement map was to be adopted for this election.
The court gave the legislature headed by the GOP until June 14 to produce a new card and until June 21 to submit the card and details on how its limits were determined.
The decision comes before measures already underway to limit partisan influence on Ohio Congress cards. Voters in the region have already approved a constitutional amendment requiring wider approval of the new cards. This new measure would come into effect in 2021 – in time for the redistricting process before the 2022 elections.
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