September 30, 2024
The Redistricting Proposal That Could Transform Ohio Politics
By Evan Robins
Ohio is considered one of the most gerrymandered states in the country, but Issue 1 could be the way to fix it.
(Ty Wright / Getty)
A proposed constitutional amendment on Ohio’s 2024 ballot would permanently change how congressional districts in the state are drawn.
The proposal, titled Issue 1, would create a 15-member Citizens Redistricting Commission—made up of Democrats, Republicans, and independents—to draw district maps. Current and former politicians, political party officials, and lobbyists would be banned from sitting on the commission, and attempts to draw districts in a way that favor one political party or lawmaker would be made unconstitutional.
“Ohioans have lived with partisan gerrymandering for more than 80 years,” said the Rev. Terry Williams, an ordained minister and an organizer with Faith Choice Ohio, a religious advocacy group that advocates for abortion rights. “Both parties have gerrymandered our state at different times in different ways, and each time gerrymandered maps are drawn, one thing always happens: Our politicians become less accountable to the people they are supposed to serve.”
