COLUMBUS, Ohio — There are several key races on the May 3 primary ballot in Ohio this year as the drama around the primary heats up while the Ohio Redistricting Commission struggles to get new maps approved.
On the May 3 ballot, voters can expect to see the Gubernatorial race, US Senate races and local races.
But with the third try at the state redistricting maps being rejected by the Ohio Supreme Court, the state House and Senate races will not be on the May 3 as it stands now.
“We've been in a scenario that’s a lot like Lucy holding the football for Charlie Brown,” said David Niven, a political science professor at the University of Cincinnati. "We are well past the deadlines to have a functioning May primary.”
“We rely on the (Ohio) Secretary of State. He's the one who has to carry it out,” Governor DeWine said on Friday.
The Ohio Secretary of State, Frank LaRose said Friday it would take action from the General Assembly or a court order to make changes. One possibility for the General Assembly is splitting the primary, with one on May 3rd and the other in July. Another option could be to have a single primary in the summer.
“It’s enormously expensive, and you're asking these Board of Elections just to staff two rounds of primaries. This is literally tens of millions of dollars scenario if they go that direction,” said Niven.
This presents an issue for military service members, who need to cast their ballots early. But Friday, the US Department of Justice and the State of Ohio came to an agreement, giving active service members an extra ten days, until May 23rd, to accept ballots.
The Redistricting Commission is meeting this weekend in a rare Saturday afternoon meeting.