Representation of Lawrence County in Columbus will see some major changes in 2003 – when the state’s redistricting takes effect – in both the Senate and the House.

Wednesday, December 05, 2001

Representation of Lawrence County in Columbus will see some major changes in 2003 – when the state’s redistricting takes effect – in both the Senate and the House.

Every 10 years, states must redraw its legislative boundaries based on the population changes reflected in the latest census. In October, the state Apportionment Board – the entity charged with redrawing these lines – finalized its redistricting, which spelled change for Lawrence County in both the Senate and House.

In the Senate, the county will now be represented by two senators instead of one. The 17th District, currently represented by Bournville Democrat Mike Shoemaker, now contains all of Lawrence County, but lost the western part of the county to the 14th District of Doug White, a Republican from Manchester in the remapping process.

The new 17th District will be comprised of all of Clinton, Fayette, Gallia, Highland, Jackson, Pike, Ross and Vinton counties as well as the eastern part of Lawrence County (the villages of Athalia, Chesapeake and Proctorville and Aid, Fayette, Lawrence, Mason, Rome, Symmes, Union and Windsor townships) and the eastern part of Pickaway County. In addition to losing the western part of Lawrence County, other changes to the district include the addition of Clinton, Fayette, Highland and Pike counties and the loss of Meigs and Scioto counties.

Shoemaker said his biggest concern in the district he currently represents is the splitting of Lawrence County. He pointed out voters in the western part of the county last voted for a senator in 1998 and it will be six years before they will vote for one again – 2004 when White’s seat comes open.

"The disturbing thing is (splitting a county) confuses the voters," he said. "When you confuse the voters, a lot of them will not vote. It’s never good to split a county."

He added that some of the counties added to his district – Clinton, Fayette and Highland – are "a little less Appalachian" than the counties he currently serves, but feels that there is not much difference in terms of the people that he – or whoever wins the seat in November – would be representing.

In terms of mileage, the district is one of the largest in the state. Shoemaker pointed out that the district stretches from the West Virginia border all the way to the western part of Clinton County, which he says is about 50 miles from the Indiana border.

Even though he does have his concerns with the redistricting, he says he can live with it.

"I learned a long time ago not to worry about the things you can’t control," he said. "There’s really nothing I can do about it."

Shoemaker, who is up for re-election this year, has already announced he will run for his seat again. State Representative John Carey of Wellston, meanwhile, has expressed interest in running on the Republican ticket.

The new 14th district will include all of Adams, Brown, Clermont and Scioto counties and the western portion of Lawrence County (the city of Ironton, the villages of Coal Grove, Hanging Rock and South Point and Decatur, Elizabeth, Hamilton, Perry, Upper and Washington townships). Besides adding part of Lawrence County, other changes to the district include the addition of Scioto County and the loss of Clinton, Fayette, Highland and Pike counties.

Once again, the county will be represented by two people in the House, but the district numbers and boundaries will change. In addition, there will be new faces representing the county in Columbus as the current representatives, Carey and Portsmouth Democrat William Ogg, are both term limited.

Carey’s district, the 94th will change to the 87th and will have a few modifications. It will still include all of Gallia and Jackson counties and the same eastern part of Lawrence County of the new 17th Senate District, but will drop Meigs County and pick up Vinton County and the eastern part of Ross County.

Ogg’s district, the 92nd, will change to the 89th and, like the past, will include all of Scioto County and the same western part of Lawrence County of the new 14th Senate District. The change is the district will add the eastern section of Adams County.

Clyde Evans, a University of Rio Grande administrator and director of athletics, and Jackson Mayor Tom Evans, both Republicans, have announced they plan to run for 87th District seat. Both have declared candidacy and are circulating petitions. Todd Book, assistant prosecuting attorney in Scioto County, and Harold Sayre, principal of Portsmouth West High School, have announced candidacy for the 89th District seat.

The filing deadline for the May 7 primary election is Feb. 23.

On the net:

Ohio Apportionment Board: http://www.ohioremap2001.org/