Over the past 10 years, Ohio’s population has grown, but not by as much as other states. Based on the results of the
2010 Census, Ohio has been apportioned 16 of the U.S. House of Representatives’ total 435 seats. This is down from the 18 seats Ohio has held over the last decade.
Under the one person, one vote principle, Ohio's 16 districts must have an equal number of residents as is practicable, with the target population being 721,032.
While the process for establishing General Assembly districts is prescribed by the Ohio Constitution, there are no specifications for the configuration of Congressional districts. Since the U.S. Constitution does not identify how districts are to be drawn, each state is responsible for deciding how Congressional districts are determined. In Ohio, Congressional district plans are actually a piece of legislation that is voted upon and enacted by the General Assembly and codified in
section 3521.01.
There is no statutory deadline for the enactment of a Congressional District plan.