COLUMBUS — Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose issued a directive recently, following a federal court order, to conduct a statewide primary election on Aug. 2 using the third set of General Assembly district maps adopted by the Ohio Redistricting Commission in February.
The federal court recognized in its decision that Ohio voters have a constitutional right to make their voice heard in a primary election this year. This ruling is a temporary solution that allows Secretary LaRose and the 88 bipartisan county boards of elections to conduct the election that Ohioans deserve, while not removing the burden on the Ohio Redistricting Commission to adopt a more permanent, constitutional solution for the 2024 election cycle and beyond.
“The court’s order eliminates any lingering uncertainty and sets the remainder of the 2022 election year in motion,” said LaRose in a press release. “My office and our partners at the 88 county boards of elections are already working this weekend to implement these directives. Despite the unprecedented delays and challenges we’ve faced this year, we remain committed to giving Ohioans the accessible election they expect and the confidence in the integrity of that election which they deserve.”
The directive issued today by the Secretary of State’s Office informs Ohio’s 88 county boards of elections of the following:
• A statewide primary election will be conducted on Aug. 2, 2022, for the offices of State Representative, State Senator, and member of [Political Party] State Central Committee.
• The boards will use the district data files for the third district map adopted by the Ohio Redistricting Commission on Feb. 24, 2022, (86 of 88 counties have already completed programming their systems for this set of maps).
• All boards must program their voter registration and central tabulation systems with the third district map data by June 7, 2022.
• Boards must follow the revised elections calendar set forth in the directive for candidate petition recertification, protests, residency, withdrawals, independent candidacies, campaign finance deadlines, and other key requirements associated with conducting a statewide primary election on Aug. 2, 2022.
Ohio voters can find their State Representative, State Senate and Party State Central Committee districts using our “find my district” tool available at VoteOhio.gov/Districts.
