(UPDATED 1.3.07: Commenter Kelly has pointed out that the Congressional redistricting takes place in the Ohio General Assembly and is simply a bill the Governor at that time will sign into law. The Apportionment Board draws the lines for both houses of the Ohio General Assembly, although both processes will be occurring at roughly the same time. My apologies for getting my facts mixed up there, but it is corrected in the post below now.)
When reapportionment comes around next in 2012, current population and migration trends indicate that Ohio will likely lose at least one Congressional district, and possibly two. This would continue a trend of lessened national influence, leaving Ohio with just 18 electoral votes and 16 U.S. Representatives to complement the two Ohioan U.S. Senators. With redistricting due in 2010, Ohio appears to be in for major changes on the statewide political scene. The two districts to be eliminated would be chosen by the party controlling the Ohio General Assembly, although with the current map, it would be tough to eliminate two seats currently held by the same party. For something so earthshaking, the story is drawing almost no coverage, even in the blogosphere.
Obviously this will not take place for another few years, but it is most certainly on the horizon. The rapidly shrinking population in Ohio loses an average of 250 residents each day to Florida alone, and the onus is most definitely on the governing body to reverse this trend. Governor Bob Taft failed to do so during his eight years, but regardless of party affiliation, we would be happy to see Gov.-elect Ted Strickland do well in this regard. Ohio must keep its young talent, the thousands who graduate every year from Ohio's higher education system, and even those who have just received their high school diplomas. We must also create a more business-friendly environment, in order to bring in new jobs and keep the jobs already in Ohio home. However, if we hope to reverse the trend, we need to be concerned with effecting that change now, and not in five years.
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Just a technical note about redistricting -- the Ohio General Assembly seats will be redrawn by the State Apportionment Board between 2010 and 2012 (in time for 2012 election). Also during that time, the Ohio Congressional seats will be redrawn but they are redrawn by the Ohio General Assembly. It is simply a bill that the Governor will sign.
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