As Debbie Dalke collects signatures to end gerrymandering in Ohio, she is consistently met with the same question. “Didn’t we fix this already?”
The answer is a little complicated. Yes, Ohio voters have twice voted to require fair maps be drawn for the U.S. House of Representatives and the State Legislature. But no, the Republicans in Columbus stalled and spurned every effort to create fair districts and end gerrymandering.
The current maps, Dalke said Saturday as she spoke to a group of citizens, favor the party in power.
“The maps are drawn for job security,” she said.
Gerrymandering allows representatives to pick their voters – instead of voters picking who will represent them. Politicians become accountable to their base and political donors – no longer to their constituents, she said.