COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio's redistricting saga is about to reach a critical deadline.

The state must get ballots in sent out to military members by the end of next week. The legitimacy of the election could be challenged in court if that doesn't happen.

The Ohio Supreme Court is currently in the process of reviewing the third set of new district maps proposed by the Ohio Redistricting Commission.

Prior proposed drawings were rejected by the court, with justices claiming they were in- some cases 'infused with partisan bias'.

Basically, Republicans on the redistricting commission were found to have drawn maps that gave their own party too great of an advantage across the state.

On Friday, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced the federal government denied his request to waive the March 18 deadline for military and overseas voters ballots.

Despite warnings from LaRose and Ohio Attorney General David Yost that the state is running out of time to successfully pull off the May 3 primary, Republican Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman told the media lawmakers are not ready to move the election just yet.

"If for some reason there's some court action that sets one or both of the maps aside, then there may be a new consideration, but I think right now we're on track," Huffman said. "It will be tight, but the secretary and the local election folks I think are up to the task."

The Ohio Association of Elected Officials says pulling off the primary would be difficult for boards of elections in larger counties with zig zagging districts including Cuyahoga, Summit and Franklin. They have to verify voters get the correct ballots and that takes time.

"We've been pretty on the record with the legislature, asking them to consider moving the primary election," Aaron Ockerman said, executive director of the Ohio Association of Elected Officials.

Ockerman says ballot errors or missing the military deadline on March 18 could open the door for litigation.

"If we do miss that deadline, then yeah, that could create additional legal challenges," he said.

Ockerman says moving the entire primary would be ideal, because holding a second primary could cost the state close to $25 million.

If the state misses the military deadline, he says the U.S. Department of Justice has a history of suing states for missing deadlines.

Former Ohio Senator Capri Cafaro joined WFMJ Weekend Today on Sunday to weigh in on the issue.

"It is an issue of cost and timing," she said. "Those are two driving factors and I think they're kind of at odds with one another, because if you do split up the primary, then you're paying for it twice, so maybe what needs to be done is you delay the whole thing."

The newest version of the state's congressional map splits up Trumbull and Mahoning counties. She believes the maps could also create problems for candidates who had filing deadlines on Friday.

For now it appears the Ohio Supreme Court's decision on the latest maps could be the final say on whether the primary is moved, as the redistricting commission waits learn if its proposed district maps hold up.

The Ohio Senate is holding a session Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. to review a possible response to new challenges against the proposed congressional district map.