Crossposted at RSLC.com/redistricting

From the Lancaster Eagle Gazette:

In 2011, Ohio lawmakers will redraw congressional districts. They can start with a clean slate and draw the lines any way they’d like, providing they follow the population apportionments. Ohio stands to lose one or two seats after the 2010 U.S. census.

The Ohio Senate is likely to remain in Republican control. In the Ohio House, Democrats currently have a seven-seat majority. If Republicans gain control, they will have authority on who draws the congressional lines. They will also have the upper hand on all the important Ohio policy issues — the state budget, education and health care.

Tim Storey, senior analyst for the National Conference of State Legislatures, calls the redistricting process “classic inside politics.” But here’s why it matters: How the districts are shaped ultimately affects the kind of candidate that can win them. They will determine whether incumbents can continue serving, or whether they will be edged out.

Read the rest…