Politics & Government

Board of Elections Hustles to get Ballots Done After Redistricting

The Stark County Board of Elections now handles three districts instead of one

Although all is ready for overseas voting, which starts Saturday, elections board workers — including those in Stark County — have had to scramble a bit in the last week or so.

That's because a controversial U.S. congressional redistricting plan wasn't finalized until early January.

"As a result of the congressional redistricting, Stark County is now split into three congressional districts instead of just one, which was previously the 16th," said Jeanette Mullane, Stark County Board of Elections director. "We now have the 16th, the 7th and the 13th."

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"As a result, the board of elections in certain areas with the district lines and our precinct lines, it created additional split precincts. We changed some of those lines, some of the poll locations for some of the voters. And those voters have already been notified."

It all began with the 2010 U.S. Census. Population loss resulted in Ohio losing two Congressional seats, from 18 to 16. Plans began for redrawing Congressional district in time for the March 6, 2012 primary.

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Under threat of a referendum, the state Legislature created a bill that allowed for two primaries; one in March for state representatives and one in June for U.S. Congress and the president.

On Dec. 14, Ohio lawmakers brokered a deal to accept a revised congressional map and a March 6 primary. The costly second primary in June was eliminated.

The Ohio House and Senate redistricting maps were finished. On Jan. 4, Democrats filed a lawsuit with the Ohio Supreme Court over the new Statehouse legislative districts, claiming it heavily favored Republican candidates.

But election board workers across the state then had barely a month to prepare ballots for the March primary. Ballots needed to be ready for Jan. 21, the day when the law requires overseas ballots to be mailed.


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