The Shape of Things: Ohio’s Gerrymandered Legislature and Issue 1

How We Got Here:

Ohio's 2020-2021 legislative redistricting process was a troubling extension of decades of gerrymandering regardless of efforts to reform the process, where unaccountable politicians rig the rules to their advantage. 

In September 2021, voters supported by the NRAF challenged gerrymandered legislative maps in Bennett v. Ohio Redistricting Commission (ORC), highlighting the critical issue of Ohio Republicans attempting to hold on to unearned power through gerrymandering. Despite the Ohio Supreme Court striking down the gerrymandered legislative maps in January 2022, the ORC's Republican majority continued to pass more gerrymandered maps, leading to more court orders to redraw compliant maps. In their desperate attempts to maintain their grip on power and in open defiance of the Supreme Court, Ohio Republicans succeeded in having the state conduct the 2022 elections on maps that had already been invalidated.

The Bennett v. Ohio Redistricting Commission case showcased how politicians elected from gerrymandered districts benefit from map manipulation, evade accountability, ignore the will of the people, and ultimately undermine democracy.

Ohio Issue 1 is a legislatively referred ballot question proposing an amendment to the Ohio Constitution that would increase the approval threshold of future amendments to the Ohio Constitution to 60% from a simple majority. Ohio’s gerrymandered legislature sent this ballot question to Ohio voters in the spring of 2023 for an August 8, 2023 election, despite having outlawed August special elections in December of 2022 due to low voter turnout. 

This ballot question to amend the Ohio Constitution is a prime example of the alarming reality of politicians elected from gerrymandered districts using map manipulation to consolidate power and avoid accountability when it benefits them. They prioritize the interests of lobbyists and special interest groups over their constituents' needs in order to preserve their hold on power, leading to a lack of responsiveness to citizens' concerns.

Issue 1, if approved, will worsen the problems caused by gerrymandering by requiring a 60% majority to pass ballot issues that amend the state constitution, denying voters a critical avenue to make their voices heard in the democratic process. The August special election aims to exploit lower voter turnout and manipulate voters to push agendas without scrutiny, further insulating legislators from accountability. Furthermore, it poses a significant threat to the future ballot initiatives like the effort to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution that will be before voters this November. This specific initiative is a direct response to gerrymandered legislature’s decisions to push anti-choice policies.
 

Our Shape of Things series aims to raise awareness about the barriers to fair representation nationwide. Educating and mobilizing voters, we advocate for electoral reforms prioritizing fairness, transparency, and accountability. Will you chip into All On The Line with a recurring donation to promote fairness in electoral systems across the country, especially in states like Ohio?

-- All On The Line

All On The Line is the grassroots advocacy campaign supported by the National Redistricting Action Fund. Support our work to end gerrymandering.

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