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Some lawmakers think moving the candidate filing deadline is an option that should be considered now

voting
Dan Konik

The Ohio Supreme Court's decision invalidating maps is prompting lawmakers to think about pushing back the Feb 2, 2022 filing deadline

The Ohio Supreme Court’s decision rejecting new maps for Ohio House and Senate districts could be causing confusion among candidates. They must file to run for those offices by February 2. But some lawmakers think it might be a good idea to consider moving that date.

Republican Rep. Brian Stewart (R-Ashville) says moving the filing deadline back to a later date is an option that should be left on the table.

“Even if the redistricting commission comes up with a new map in 10 days, that puts us at January 22nd and it’s possible that map may be challenged too,” Stewart says.

Stewart notes candidates might not know which district they’d be representing until days before the current deadline. And he questions if that would be enough time to gather signatures – only 50 are needed, but candidates usually aim for double that to ensure they meet the threshold.

Contact Jo Ingles at jingles@statehousenews.org.
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