What is State Issue 1? How would voting "Yes" end gerrymandering in Ohio? Maureen O'Connor, the former Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, knows ! Click to read more about YES on Issue 1 and watch a Q & A video with Justice O'Connor.

This November, Ohioans are being asked to vote on a bipartisan plan that would shift the power of redistricting from partisan politicians to an independent citizen commission. OCSEA, AFSCME and the Ohio AFL-CIO have endorsed the constitutional amendment that will appear on the ballot as Issue 1.

WHY IS MORE REFORM NEEDED?

You might be asking yourself, didn’t we already vote to end gerrymandering through amendments to Ohio’s Constitution? The answer is yes! In 2015 and 2018, Ohioans voted overwhelmingly to change the redistricting process for Congress and the state legislature. It was hoped the changes would lead to fair maps that didn’t skew election results to benefit a particular political party. But both redistricting amendments had a fatal flaw—they kept politicians in charge of drawing maps.

“Politicians can’t help themselves. When they draw maps, they gerrymander,” said Maureen O’Connor, the former Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. “Why do they gerrymander? To keep their party and themselves in power.” Justice O’Connor, a lifelong registered Republican, was part of a bipartisan majority on the Supreme Court that ruled seven times that maps drawn by the Ohio Redistricting Commission were unconstitutional.

The maps had been gerrymandered to benefit Republicans, and some members of her own party threatened to have O’Connor impeached for voting against them. The maps gave Republicans a super majority in both chambers of the state legislature and a 10-5 majority in Ohio’s Congressional districts.

O’Connor says she wasn’t bothered by the criticism, “Any judge that takes into consideration their party’s wishes doesn’t deserve to wear a black robe. The only factor that should matter is the rule of law.” Now she is determined to give voters the power to hold elected officials accountable through a fair and impartial system. O’Connor helped write the “Citizens Not Politicians” ballot amendment which has gained bipartisan support.

GO HERE to watch Maureen O’Connor answer key questions on Issue 1.

State Representative Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington), the Minority Leader in the Ohio House, agrees with O’Connor that a “Yes” vote on Issue 1 will empower voters to choose their elected leaders instead of politicians picking their voters. “We have to set aside our partisan interests and make sure people can have their voices heard in elections,” Russo said.

WHAT IS CITIZENS NOT POLITICIANS?

“Citizens Not Politicians” is modeled after reforms in other states that have successfully removed partisan politics from redistricting.The constitutional amendment would put a 15-member Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission in charge of mapmaking.

• The Citizens Redistricting Commission would have equal numbers of Democrats, Republicans and Independents representing different geographic areas and demographic groups in Ohio.
• Current and former politicians, lobbyists and political party officials would be banned from serving on the commission.
• Voting districts could not be drawn to favor or discriminate against any political party of individual politician.
• The Commission would be required to conduct all its business in public and give citizens the opportunity to provide input.
• If voters approve Issue 1 the Commission will redraw district boundaries in 2025 and again in 2031.

WHY THIS MATTERS TO UNION MEMBERS

After the battle over Senate Bill 5, union members know what can happen when the state legislature is hostile toward organized labor. Electing labor-friendly candidates is crucial for protecting collective bargaining rights including the ability to negotiate for higher wages and safer working conditions.

Rep. Russo says Issue 1 will increase accountability and give organized labor more influence. “It restores balance to elected state government and representation in Congress and ensures the values of Ohio are represented which includes a respect for organized labor and the preservation of the rights of organized labor,” she added.

Chris Zukoski, a member of OCSEA Chapter 2560 and a Planner 3 with the Dept. of Health, voted for the last two redistricting amendments, and he supports Issue 1 because he says it will give voters and union members a stronger voice. “For union members it’s about having a say in stuff and a lot of times we feel left out of those conversations. This gives us an opportunity to be part of the conversation,” he said.

DON’T BE FOOLED BY THE OPPONENTS TO ISSUE 1

The same politicians who drew seven unconstitutional maps are trying to confuse voters with deceptive ballot language and a misleading campaign. Don’t be fooled when you cast your ballot. A “Yes” vote on Issue 1 stops gerrymandering and puts citizens in charge of redistricting while a “No” vote keeps politicians in control of drawing district maps.