The newest competition coming to the state is based on how well you can draw and who Ohio's members of Congress represent.

The League of Women Voters of Ohio, working with Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner and other partners, announced a "redistricting competition" yesterday to allow anyone to submit plans for how congressional districts should be redrawn.

The idea is to show there are viable ways of redistricting to create congressional districts that aren't gerrymandered with crazy contortions designed to benefit a political party.

Supporters hope the approach in the winning plan will be part of a ballot issue this fall or in the May primary next year. They hope to amend the state Constitution and change how Ohio redraws its district boundaries after the 2010 census.

"We believe this redistricting competition will show that our state can transition to a fair, open process for drawing legislative lines," said Linda D. Lalley, president of the League of Women Voters of Ohio.

Groups or individuals will be able access 2000 census data and elections results and, using software made available through Ohio State University and Cleveland State University, draw their own legislative districts.

Other details about the competition aren't expected until next week. But plans will be evaluated based on scoring in four major areas: compactness and avoiding "bizarre" shapes; "communities of interest," keeping counties, cities and places with shared interests in the same districts; competitiveness, meaning the district can be won by either party; and "representational fairness" to avoid any bias favoring one party.

The legislature redraws congressional districts after every census and state legislative boundaries are set by a five-member state Apportionment Board controlled by the party that holds at least two of three elected statewide offices: governor, secretary of state and auditor.

Critics have complained for years that the party in control draws districts with artificial boundaries to maximize its ability to hold seats -- decreasing competition and increasing the polarization of politics.

Numerous reform proposals have been floated over time, including a ballot issue rejected in 2005 that would have had a nonpartisan panel accept redistricting proposals from the public.

Brunner and state Rep. Dan Stewart, D-Columbus, helped announce the current competition, while former Republican House Speaker Jon Husted has floated a proposal that would include changing the State Apportionment Board.

The redistricting competition was announced yesterday at the second phase of an election conference in Columbus convened by Brunner to identify ways to reform state election law and practices.

The first phase was held in December to identify problems, and the second part that continues today seeks to identify potential changes that will be part of a final report with recommendations to Gov. Ted Strickland and the legislature.

State Sen. Bill Seitz, R-Cincinnati, part of a legislative panel yesterday, said because of the demands of passing the state budget, he doubts any election bill would be considered until perhaps the end of the year.

Brunner said she thinks a bipartisan bill can pass this year, depending on "the willingness of the legislature to cooperate in a bipartisan fashion."

mniquette@dispatch.com