Ohio Democrats are responding after a federal court ordered the state to use maps that were previously deemed unconstitutional by the Ohio Supreme Court.

In late April, a federal ruling set a deadline of May 28 for drawing maps that meet the standards of the Ohio Constitution. If a new map was not drawn by that time, the third set of rejected maps would be used for the August Primary.

Now, just one day before that deadline, a decision was made that the previously rejected map would be used.

Ohio Democratic Party Chair, Elizabeth Walters released a statement on Friday detailing her thoughts on the decision. The statement reads as follows:

"Republicans in Ohio will stop at nothing to ensure they can choose their own voters rather than the other way around. We've seen the consequences of Republican rule for our state: Costly corruption, ineptitude and an economy that only works for the wealthy and well-connected."

"Ohio Republicans don't want to be held accountable so they're rigging the system in their favor instead. Using a federal court to ram through a GOP-gerrymandered map that reads like an Ohio republican party wishlist is not what Ohioans were looking for when they called out loudly for redistricting reform."

In addition, Akron-based Democratic Senator and co-chair of the Ohio Redistricting Commission, Vernon Sykes issued a statement of his own regarding the decision.

Senator Sykes says he is disappointed by the federal court's decision to approve of "gerrymandered state legislative maps." 

However, Sykes added that the court's intervention only affects the 2022 election and that it is still the responsibility of the Ohio Redistricting Commission to "draw fair, constitutional maps for the rest of the decade."

State Republicans have not issued a statement on the decision at this time.

RELATED COVERAGE: