COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Ohio Republicans still hope they can avoid a June primary by instituting a new map of congressional districts before Dec. 7.

Wednesday hearing on a bill offering a revised map came after Democrats blocked a vote last week. The bill also would move Ohio's presidential and U.S. House primaries back to March from June.

The primary was pushed back in October to allow extra time for map making.

An initial GOP-drawn map reflecting population changes after the 2010 census was passed in September but is in limbo while Democrats and their allies gather signatures to mount a repeal effort on the 2012 ballot.

The map discussed Wednesday makes whole some counties split into multiple districts under the first map and reshapes lines to increase minority influence in urban counties.

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