WARREN, Ohio - For more than 30 years, the lines dividing Warren’s seven city council wards have remained unchanged. Now, city leaders are facing renewed pressure to act amid warnings that continued inaction could expose the city to legal challenges.

During a presentation to Warren City Council Wednesday, the League of Women Voters of Ohio outlined findings showing Warren’s wards have not been reconfigured since 1991, despite significant population shifts across the city.

According to the League, the population difference between Warren’s wards now approaches 41 percent far exceeding the 10 percent deviation commonly used as a benchmark for equitable representation.

Ohio law states that cities must review and, if necessary, redraw ward boundaries following each decennial census to ensure districts are roughly equal in population. Census data from 2020 was released to municipalities in 2021, triggering that obligation.

League representatives told council that population imbalances are not unusual over time, but become problematic when cities fail to revisit ward maps for decades.

The League also pointed out that Warren is not alone in falling behind, noting that several other Ohio cities have delayed redistricting. However, they stressed that the length of Warren’s delay places it at heightened risk.

During the council meeting, Councilman Tom Thumm warned that the city could face litigation if it does not begin the redistricting process.

Thumm said the League has indicated it may pursue legal action, alleging Warren’s failure to update ward boundaries violates federal voting rights standards and state guidelines under the Ohio Revised Code.

To reduce that risk, Thumm proposed that council formally initiate the redistricting process. His recommendations included holding public hearings, creating a bipartisan redistricting subcommittee, and hiring a professional consultant or GIS specialist to analyze census data and propose new ward maps with minimal population deviation.

Warren Law Director Enzo Cantalamessa reinforced the legal basis for redistricting, telling council that the obligation originates with the U.S. Constitution, flows through the Ohio Constitution, and is codified in state law and local ordinances.

Cantalamessa said redistricting discussions have occurred in the past, including conversations with outside experts, but never advanced to formal legislation.

He emphasized that redrawing ward boundaries is not discretionary.

“It’s not an optional process at this point it is mandated,” Cantalamessa said.

He also cautioned that if council fails to act within the timelines required by law, authority to redraw the wards could be taken out of council’s hands and assigned to the city’s service director.

Not all council members supported moving quickly.

Councilwoman Helen Rucker, who served on the committee that originally drew the current ward map in the early 1990s, cautioned that redistricting involves more than population math.

Rucker said Warren’s population has become increasingly transient, making it difficult to maintain stable ward numbers over time. She also raised concerns about voter access, polling locations, and how changes could affect seniors and minority communities.

“We’re not just throwing out numbers,” Rucker said during the meeting. “We’re talking about people here. We’re talking about our city and how it’s going to go for the next ten years.”

Rucker questioned whether population counts should include incarcerated individuals housed in local facilities and argued that any redistricting effort must consider how residents actually experience representation and voting access.

Other council members acknowledged that Warren is overdue for redistricting but urged a careful, inclusive approach.

Councilwoman Honeya Price said the issue deserves time and public input, even if the process takes months.

“If it takes six months, it takes six months,” Price said. “I just want to make sure it’s done right.”

Councilman Michael O’Brien echoed the need for communication, saying population equalization is the central goal but must be handled transparently. He urged that any consultants involved meet directly with ward council members to avoid unintended consequences.

No formal vote was taken during the meeting, and no timeline has been set for redrawing the ward map.

However, multiple council members indicated the issue will return for further discussion. Options under consideration include public hearings, the formation of a redistricting committee, and hiring outside experts to assist with map development.

For now, Warren’s ward boundaries remain unchanged but with legal warnings now on the record, pressure is mounting for the city to decide how, and when, it will act.