Elections in limbo as redistricting litigation drags on

The redistricting process is bleeding into election season.

Early voting for Ohio's May 3 primary starts in less than a week, and Election Day is just five weeks away. Yet the state's congressional and legislative maps are still being litigated, leaving the approaching election in limbo.

As the redistricting process plays out throughout the country, states including Ohio, Missouri and Florida are scrambling as court cases drag on. Other states, including North Carolina, have already made the tough decision to delay their state primaries as a result.

Redistricting takes place every 10 years following a U.S. Census count and involves drawing lines that form congressional and state legislative districts from which public officials are elected. The process plays a significant role in shaping the political landscape for elections and determining which party gains control of Congress. That spells extensive legal battles as partisan players try to secure the advantage.

Federal judges are set to hear arguments Wednesday weighing different options for Ohio's May 3 primary, which include pushing it back, holding two separate primaries or enacting previously rejected legislative maps.