Avon Lakers Could See Kucinich, Kaptur on 2012 Ballot

With the new U.S. Congressional districts now set, Avon Lake will become part of the 9th Congressional District and voters could see two prominent Democrats--U.S. Representatives Marcy Kaptur and Dennis Kucinich--facing off in a primary.

The new districts go into effect in January 2013 with representatives being determined in the November 2012 General Election. The redistricting formally went into effect Sept. 26, according to Ohio's Secretary of State's office.

Avon Lake Patch received a query into the city's district(s) after a reader erroneously heard that city would be split into two different districts, similar to the situation Parma is facing.

On Oct. 3, Steve Fought, communications director for Kaptur, confirmed the city would be served by one representative for District 9, where Kaptur is the current representative.

“All of Avon Lake will be included in the new district,” Fought said.

Representatives from both Kucinich's and Kaptur's office were initially unsure what the district was and what towns would be included in the new district.

The newly drawn 9th District stretches along Lake Erie from western Cuyahoga County, where Dennis Kucinich resides, to Lucas county, where Kaptur currently lives.

Kaptur currently represents the 9th District. If both opt to run for Congress, the representatives will face off in a 9th District Democratic primary next spring. 

Avon Lake, and neighboring Avon, are currently in the 13th District now represented by Betty Sutton. Avon will become part of the southern stretching 7th district. 

Although neither Kaptur nor Kucinich have formally announced an intent to seek re-election, Kucinich told the Lakewood Patch he would run again if redistricting allowed him to represent Cleveland.

Both Kaptur and Kucinich showed up to the Avon Lake Kiwanis breakfast and homecoming festivities at Avon Lake High School this past Sunday.

Ohio’s 2010 Census count resulted in the loss of two U.S. House seats for Ohio, from 18 to 16. With the newly drawn districts, 12 of Ohio's 16 districts will lean Republican, according to a report by the Huffington Post.

The Secretary of State's office has not yet released maps detailing districts at the state level.