The Ohio House, with no Democratic support, approved a congressional map that gives Republicans a 12-3 advantage in seats in the U.S. House.

The House voted 55-36 Thursday, with all but four Republicans supporting the map and all Democrats opposing it.

Because the Ohio Constitution requires a 10-year map to have 60 percent support of the state Legislature with at least one-third of the minority party (Democrats), these districts will be in place for only four years — the 2022 and 2024 elections.

The state Senate voted 24-7 along party lines for the map.

The map is expected to be challenged in the Ohio Supreme Court.

The map, drawn by Republicans, creates seven safe Republican districts, two for Democrats and six that Republicans call competitive. But of those six, five favor Republicans, including three that give the GOP an advantage of about 7 to 8 percent over Democrats based on voting trends in partisan statewide elections during the past decade.

One Democratic district (Akron and its surrounding areas) and one Republican district (Cincinnati and its surrounding areas) have a difference of about 1 percent between the political parties based on voting trends.

Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, has up to 10 days after receiving the bill from the state Legislature to veto it if he chooses to do so.

Dan Tierney, DeWine’s spokesman, said the governor’s office expects to get the bill as early as today.

“We still don’t have a comment yet” on the bill, he said.

House Speaker Bob Cupp, R-Lima, said, “The congressional map approved (Thursday) is fair, thoughtful and most importantly, constitutional.”

He added: “This is a historic plan that is the result of much deliberation and public input. It will serve Ohio and its people well.”

But House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes, D-Akron, said: “As the process unfolded, it was clear Republicans had no intention of negotiating a compromise in good faith. Instead, Republicans betrayed Ohio voters by passing a gerrymandered district map that splits apart community and unduly favors Republicans.”

She also said: “This disastrous map is a result of failed Republican leadership, who time and again show they are unfit to lead our state.”

Sykes sent a letter after the vote to DeWine urging him to veto the bill.

The map puts all of Mahoning and Trumbull counties in a safe Republican 6th District along with all of Columbiana, Carroll, Jefferson, Harrison, Belmont, Noble and Monroe counties and all of Washington County except for four townships.

The new district would be 55.81 percent Republican to 41.83 percent Democratic with the rest going to other political parties.

Most of Mahoning and Trumbull counties were in a noncompetitive district for decades that heavily favored Democrats.

The district includes two current House members: Bill Johnson, R-Marietta, and Tim Ryan, D-Howland.

Ryan isn’t seeking re-election and is running next year for the U.S. Senate.

Johnson will run for another term. In his current district, which includes all or portions of 18 counties, Johnson represents a small section of Mahoning County: the city of Canfield as well as Sebring and Beloit villages and Beaver Green, Goshen, Smith, Springfield, Canfield, Berlin and Ellsworth townships.

The state’s delegation to the U.S. House is currently 12-4 in favor of Republicans. Ohio is losing one district starting with next year’s election because the state’s population didn’t grow as fast as the rest of the nation.

dskolnick@vindy.com