Ohio citizens still waiting for fair legislative maps have switched strategies. Their latest effort will try to take redistricting power out of the hands of elected officials.
Tired of waiting for state legislators to adopt maps that aren’t gerrymandered to benefit the party in power, citizens across Ohio are petitioning to get a constitutional amendment on the November ballot.
The “Citizens Not Politicians Amendment” is a citizen initiative to end gerrymandering. It bans lobbyists and politicians from the redistricting process and instead establishes an Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission, empowering citizens to draw fair districts using an open and transparent process.
The key is removing elected officials – from both parties – from the process, said Bowling Green League of Women Voters member Debbie Dalke.