Federal judge nixes Ohio’s push for early redistricting data

(AP) -- A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by the state of Ohio that tried to get the U.S. Census Bureau to provide data used for drawing congressional districts ahead of its planned release.

U.S. District Judge Thomas Rose in Ohio on Wednesday rejected the state’s request for a preliminary injunction, which would have forced the Census Bureau to release the redistricting data by March 31.

Ohio filed its lawsuit last month after the Census Bureau said the redistricting data wouldn’t be available until September. That is months after the redistricting deadlines for many states.