A three-judge panel of two US District judges and one Sixth Circuit judge on Thursday denied a motion from Ohio GOP lawmakers and the governor to stay a judgment requiring the state to redraw its congressional map in time for the 2020 election pending related US Supreme Court decisions.
“No new arguments persuaded the Court that a stay is now warranted,” the court wrote.
“The Court will carefully analyze any remedial plan so that the voters in Ohio can avoid another election with unconstitutionally drawn districts. Ensuring a remedial plan is in place prior to the deadline is the optimal way to avoid voter confusion,” wrote the court, emphasizing a tight deadline.
On Friday the court said the map was intentionally drawn to disadvantage Democratic voters and keep Republican representatives in power.
The ACLU, a plaintiff in the case, said that the motion for the stay was a part of a strategy by state officials attempting to “run out the clock” so that they do not have to draw a new map.
