John,
I’m writing to you from Common Cause Ohio, where we’re on the forefront of the nationwide fight for fair maps and an END to partisan gerrymandering.
We’re less than 3 weeks away from the deadline to gather and submit over 400,000 valid signatures – and once we do, Ohioans will FINALLY get to vote this November on ending gerrymandering in our state with a citizens redistricting commission.
John, I know you're not in Ohio, but you may have heard some horror stories about how politicians here have abused their power to fend off competition – and unfortunately, those stories are true.
Just last year, we were forced to mobilize to stop lawmakers from effectively ending ballot initiatives in our state entirely – all in a last-ditch effort to block an abortion rights measure that voters eventually approved in November.
Now, we need to mobilize once again.
This time, to take the power to draw congressional and state legislative maps away from self-interested legislators and give it to the people where it belongs.
Why? Because currently, our electoral maps are drawn by politicians behind closed doors – with little oversight or input from voters. And until that injustice changes, Ohioans will have no hope of a fair, representative government.
John, the unfortunate truth is that our current system has allowed Ohio to approve some of the most gerrymandered maps in the country.
That’s why Common Cause Ohio is mobilizing thousands of volunteers to gather signatures to put the "Citizens Not Politicians” measure on the November ballot. And I’m confident that if voters get to speak out directly on how our maps are drawn, they’ll vote for this solution.
But we need your support to get there.
If we’re successful, we’ll bring the same common-sense reform to Ohio that’s already paying off in states like California and Michigan – where ordinary people, NOT politicians, draw voting maps in an open, transparent process.
John, winning in a state like Ohio would put gerrymandering politicians on notice nationwide – which is why our opposition is doing everything they can to stop us.
So today, I am asking Common Cause supporters inside and outside of Ohio to pitch in and help us win, because every victory—in any state—keeps momentum going and strikes a blow against anti-democracy schemes nationwide.
Will you chip in $3 (or whatever you can spare) to make sure we have the resources we need to finish strong before the July 3rd deadline?
John, every contribution brings us closer to ending gerrymandering in Ohio and creating a fairer election system. States across the country have already passed similar reforms – now it’s Ohio’s turn.
Thank you for making our work possible,
Catherine Turcer, Executive Director
and the Common Cause Ohio Team
