Amendment to Change Ohio Redistricting Process Moves Ahead

by J.D. Davidson

A plan to change who draws legislative districts for the second time in five years waits on word from the Ohio Ballot Board before moving forward.

The Ballot Board has yet to schedule a meeting to address a proposed constitutional amendment that would create a 15-member citizen commission to draw district lines.

Attorney General Dave Yost approved the summary of the proposed amendment, “An Amendment to Replace the Current Politician-Run Redistricting Process with a Citizen-Led Commission Required to Create Fair State Legislative and Congressional Districts Through a More Open and Independent System,” on Monday.

“Attorney General Yost’s approval of the summary language means we are one step closer to putting a citizens redistricting commission on the ballot in Ohio,” Common Cause Ohio Executive Director Catherine Turcer said in a statement. “After state lawmakers approved rigged legislative maps just last week, we are more eager than ever to take the power to draw district lines entirely out of the hands of self-interested politicians and into the hands of Ohio citizens. Ohioans are fed up with our broken system and ready for real change.”

It was the third time in less than a month the summary was submitted for Yost’s approval. He rejected the other two. Yost determines whether the submitted language fairly and truthfully summarizes the proposed statute or constitutional amendment.

The Ballot Board must decide if the proposed amendment contains a single amendment. If so, proponents must collect signatures from registered voters equal to at least 10% of the vote cast in the most recent gubernatorial election. Those signatures must come from voters in at least 44 of Ohio’s 88 counties and, for each of those counties, the number must equal at least 5% of the vote cast in the most recent gubernatorial election.

If enough signatures are verified by the Ohio Secretary of State at least 65 days before the election, the question will appear on the ballot.

The Ohio Redistricting Commission unanimously approved state legislative maps at the end of September to be used until 2030.

“Make no mistake: This will be a long journey with many hurdles. However, we are confident that the Citizens Not Politicians amendment will make it onto the ballot and that, after a yes vote, Ohioans will finally get the fair maps and responsive representation we deserve,” Turcer said.

In May 2018, Ohio voters approved a constitutional amendment that was expected to create a bipartisan redistricting commission. The commission consists of seven members – a member appointed by the Senate president, the House speaker, Senate minority leader and House minority leader, the governor, state auditor and the secretary of state.

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An Ohio native, J.D. Davidson is a veteran journalist with more than 30 years of experience in newspapers in Ohio, Georgia, Alabama and Texas. He has served as a reporter, editor, managing editor and publisher. Davison is a regional editor for The Center Square.