Ohio redistricting overhaul fizzles

August 4, 2010 at 9:22a.m.

COLUMBUS (AP) — Ohio lawmakers have given up on a proposal meant to inject more bipartisanship into the process of redrawing boundaries for state Senate and House districts.

The plan’s backers concede they couldn’t come up enough support in time for today’s deadline for putting a proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot.

So, House Speaker Armond Budish and Senate President Bill Harris chose not to call lawmakers back from summer recess for a vote.

State legislative districts will be redrawn, using 2010 census data, by a board controlled by the party having two out of three statewide offices: governor, secretary of state and auditor. The proposed overhaul would have created a new panel including minority-party members able to block redistricting plans.