This November, Ohio voters will have to decide if there will be a change or not to the state's political map-making process.
COLUMBUS, OH (WLIO) - This November, Ohio voters will have to decide if there will be a change or not to the state's political map-making process.
Governor Mike DeWine says he cannot support the ballot initiative that gets rid of the Ohio Redistricting Commission, which is made up of himself and other politicians, and if passed would be replaced by a 15-member citizens' panel. DeWine, Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted, and other opponents of the measure say this issue could encourage gerrymandering.
The group "Citizens Not Politicians" put the issue on the ballot and says the change is needed to prevent gerrymandering. The proposed panel would be made up of five people each of the Republican and Democratic parties and five independents.
July 31, 2024, Press Release from the Office of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine: (COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Earlier today, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine held a press conference where he delivered remarks and took questions from media, expressing his strong opposition to the proposed ballot initiative on redistricting.
"If this amendment were to be adopted, Ohio would actually end up with a system that mandates – that compels – map drawers to produce gerrymandered districts," said Governor DeWine in his remarks. "In fact, Ohio would have gerrymandering in the extreme."
Governor DeWine's “As Prepared for Delivery” remarks, as well as sample maps he referenced in his remarks that produced gerrymandered districts in efforts to make them proportional, are available via the following links:
