Board of Elections approves tentative new precinct map

Montgomery BOE adds 21 precincts; court challenges still pending; some will get new polling location.
The Montgomery County Board of Elections approved a newly drawn precinct map Thursday, Dec. 30, following the statewide redistricting process. The map, according to BOE officials, is tentative until the Ohio Supreme Court rules on legal challenges to the state legislative maps.

The Montgomery County Board of Elections approved a newly drawn precinct map Thursday, Dec. 30, following the statewide redistricting process. The map, according to BOE officials, is tentative until the Ohio Supreme Court rules on legal challenges to the state legislative maps.

The Montgomery County Board of Elections approved a newly drawn precinct map Thursday following the statewide redistricting of Ohio House, Ohio Senate and U.S. Congressional districts.

This statewide redistricting served as an opportunity for local election boards to review precinct lines and rebalance precincts based on population shifts across the county, while also assigning voters to their districts and election day polling locations, said Sarah Greathouse, Montgomery County Board of Elections deputy director.

The Montgomery County map approved Thursday, which takes into account the proposed new Ohio House and Senate districts, is tentative because multiple legal challenges to those state-level districts are still pending before the Ohio Supreme Court.

The pending map, according to county BOE officials, would increase the number of precincts in Montgomery County from 360 to 381.

“This map will remain pending until the litigation currently being heard before the Ohio Supreme Court is completed,” Greathouse said.

Once the court cases are over, the Board of Elections will mail each voter a postcard, listing their new state legislative districts, as well as their polling location, which could change in 2022.

“The impact on voters is that, very roughly speaking, around 25% of Montgomery County voters will be notified of a precinct change, nearly 100% will have an Ohio House/Senate district change, and in some cases also a change in polling location,” Greathouse said. “Voters can look for the postcard from the BOE before the May 2022 primary and the November 2022 (election).”

The newly drawn Montgomery County map will be released in full within the next few weeks, according to Board of Elections officials, and residents will be able to view it on the county BOE website.

People planning to run for office or circulate petitions for any office for the May 2022 primary — the deadline for which is Feb. 2, 2022 — are “strongly encouraged” to contact the BOE office for guidance “on which areas are the most likely to provide qualified signatures for any office,” Greathouse said.

“We know that all of this is quite complex and can be confusing, and we are going to do our best to help,” she said.

Montgomery County candidates can call 937-225-5656 at any time with questions or for clarification.

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