Thread by @KatyAShanahan

Good morning from the Ohio Statehouse on the day our fourth set of state legislative maps are due because the GOP refuses to pass the #FairMaps voters deserve and that our constitution requires.

Hearing pushed back already to 10:30am so…things are lookin’ good lol!

Additional context for today:

Faber was just in the mapping room saying he doesn't think they will land the plane today.

FWIW not landing the plane isn’t actually an option because LOL the Court ordered them to pass maps by today.

Tick tock, folks!

Hearing that this morning’s meeting, whenever it happens, will likely be short bc mappers just got incumbent data.

Again worth a reminder that #FairMaps should cater to the people and not to politicians!

Looking for an action to take while we wait for the Comm'n to come to order?

Use this click-to-call tool to contact Comm'ners to demand they pass #FairMaps TODAY!

act.redistrictingaction.org/a/ohio-redraw-…

We've got 6 of 7 Comm'ners here, so fingers crossed the hearing kicks off soon

🙃

7 of 7 now in the room - ready...go!

Ind mappers are again Zooming in from the map room downstairs so allow me one additional opportunity to rant about how we could've/should've had virtual testimony options for the last 13 months of this process so all Ohioans had an accessible chance to weigh in on #FairMaps!

Johnson: We've merged our maps (using McDonald 4C House, McDonald 4 Senate moving forward) and just imported incumbent addresses (no names/parties, just addresses and which chamber they belong to). McDonald cleaning up city/township splits to get map in better shape.

Johnson: To make this map your map, we need your guidance about what priorities you have/choices you want to make with regard to the maps.

McDonald: Someone told us to fix Warren County to fix one of the incumbent "issues" (uh...what issue? what's the change?)

Sykes: You should start with offering us ideas and we'll go from there.

Johnson: Pure process - Comm'ners should share requests amongst yourselves/staff and if there's consensus among the Comm'n we can make those changes quickly. If not, y'all need to work those diffs out.

Johnson, optimistically in my mind, said he thinks the changes mappers need to make will likely get unanimous support from Comm'ners and shouldn't be that hard to figure out.

Would love to welcome him to this 7-month long process that has not go as swimmingly lol!

Huffman again suggesting he can't give mappers guidance on things and AGAIN I just literally do not understand how hard it'd be for the mappers to pull up the map on a giant screen, explain the choice points, and then the 7 Comm'ners debate and make a choice.

It's just not hard!

The mappers opened their remarks today by say - EXPLICITLY - that they have a unified map LOL

https://twitter.com/susantebben/status/1508459283859460102

Mappers will share the data files to staff and then they ask that Comm'ners' staff handle the printing of the materials (bc, yes, the mappers have enough on their plates and shouldn't also be in charge of hitting print...)

Sykes offering to meet again at 3pm with status update on unified map, incumbents, etc. for Comm'ners to make suggestions on maps to move forward.

Again clarifying Comm'ners will get immediate access to unified maps.

Mappers say any Comm'ner is welcome to come down to mapping room to talk to them directly about what they're doing and to give suggestions.

Russo says that this is the fastest way to communicate, urging Commners to just walk downstairs to have those convos in person!

Sykes asks for unified maps' top lines:

McDonald - 45 Dem House seats, 15 Dem Senate seats.

3 toss up R House seats
3 toss up D House seats
2 toss up D Senate seats
0 toss up R Senate seats

Mappers say they'll rely on staff to inform them about which Senators' terms end after redistricting is done.

Sykes recesses the Comm'n until 3pm.