A constitutional amendment on redistricting in Ohio has qualified for the Ohio ballot in November, according to Secretary of State Frank LaRose.
Dubbed “Citizens not Politicians,” the amendment seeks to end what political experts have described as gerrymandered voter districts in Ohio.
The amendment seeks to do four main things according to a website promoting it:
- Create a 15-member Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission made up of Democratic, Republican, and Independent citizens that represent the different geographic areas and demographics of the state.
- Ban current or former politicians, political party officials, and lobbyists from sitting on the commission.
- Require fair and impartial districts by making it unconstitutional to draw voting districts that discriminate against or favor any political party or politician.
- Require the commission to operate under an open and independent process.
The measure needed at least 413,487 signatures from 44 out of 88 counties to qualify, according to LaRose it got 535,005 from 58 of the 88 counties in Ohio.
The amendment will be considered at a to-be-determined Ohio Ballot Board meeting to consider ballot language and title.
Ohio has long been a target for critics of its voting districts. Lawmakers tried several times in recent years to redraw the districts in a way that was beneficial for everyone but each attempt was rejected in the courts.
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