Hardin County would stay in reshaped 83rd House, 1st Senate in new proposal Posted on January 24, 2022 0 By DAN ROBINSON Times staff writer State Rep. Jon Cross, R-Kenton, had expected to represent the 85th district in the new legislature, but if the new map is approved by the Ohio Supreme Court, he will return to his current seat as lawmaker from the 83rd District. The proposed 83rd will continue to include all of Hardin County, but will divide Hancock, Logan and Wyandot counties. The earlier map had moved Cross to the 85th district with all of Hardin, Logan and Champaign counties included. “With the new maps just released I’m delighted to continue to represent the 83rd district, running for my third term,” Cross told the Times on Sunday. “I’m excited to have picked up more of Indian Lake with the addition on Stokes Township, as well as part of Wyandot County, which includes Upper Sandusky. “I’m hopeful the Ohio Supreme Court will allow the new maps to proceed, as we don’t want to interfere or move the primary election,” he said The Ohio court has three days to review the proposed new map, noted Cross, and if it is approved, he will be hurrying to secure signatures for the Republican primary before the Feb. 2 filing deadline if the primary is to remain on May 3. Cross also had filed for election to represent the new 85th district, but now those petitions are invalid since he will be living in the 83rd. To allow registered Republican voters to sign his petitions, the Hardin County Republican Party will sponsor an open house from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday at the party’s local headquarters on West Franklin Street in Kenton. All of Hardin County would remain in a reconfigured Oho Senate 1st District, under the proposed map. It also would include all of Williams, Fulton, Defiance, Henry, Paulding, Putnam and Van Wert counties, and parts of Hancock, Logan and Wyandot counties. It is represented by Rob McColley, R-Napoleon.
