Nope…Again.

The Ohio Supreme Court on Monday rejects a second set of Ohio Statehouse district maps that retained strong Republican majorities as gerrymandered…and sends them back for a third try. In yet another 4-3 ruling, the high court found the bipartisan Ohio Redistricting Commission’s second attempt at drawing the maps had again failed to pass constitutional muster. No Democrats supported either plan. Chief Justice, Maureen O’Connor, who at 70 years old must leave the court Dec. 31 due to age limits, again provided a pivotal swing vote, joining the court’s three Democrats. In another victory for voting rights and Democratic groups, the court gave the redistricting commission 10 days to pass a constitutional map. How that will go remains unclear. The Republican-dominated panel has failed twice already to reach bipartisan consensus despite the looming legal threats. The majority sharply criticized Republicans on the commission who said they decided to begin with the original, invalidated map because time was short and they were familiar with it. A combination of Republican foot-dragging and legal wrangling has now extended a process that was supposed to be completed last fall.