Ohio House OK’s March primary, end to map flap

Ohio House OK’s March primary, end to map flap

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio House of Representatives has passed a compromise bill to reunite the state’s primary in March and approve a new congressional map.

The 77-17 House vote came at the eleventh-hour during the chamber’s last scheduled voting day this year. It’s aimed at ending a dispute over new GOP-drawn congressional lines.

The Senate was also expected to vote on the plan later today.

An earlier Republican-passed map from September has been in limbo while Democrats gather signatures to put its fate before voters in 2012.

Both maps favor Republicans with 12 of Ohio’s 16 U.S. House seats. However, the new map would increase the black voting-age populations of some urban districts, among other changes.

The bill would also create a task force to study reforms to the mapmaking process.