Civil rights organizations in Ohio are criticizing the ballot language proposed by Secretary of State Frank LaRose for a redistricting amendment to be voted on Friday, claiming it distorts their intent to manipulate the outcome of the November vote. The proposed language describes the Citizens Not Politicians measure as repealing constitutional protections against gerrymandering approved by a majority of Ohio electors, though recent maps have been deemed gerrymandered in favor of Republicans by the courts.
Supporters of the amendment argue that LaRose’s wording is biased. The language asserts that the new commission would be “partisan” and mandated to manipulate district boundaries, as well as restricting Ohio citizens from freely expressing their opinions to commission members.
Former Ohio Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor, a supporter of the fall measure, has accused politicians of attempting to influence the election outcome by manipulating the ballot language. O’Connor, a Republican, highlighted that the language proposed by LaRose violates constitutional prohibitions against misleading voters.
The proposed amendment, backed by a bipartisan coalition, aims to replace the current redistricting commission with a citizen-led commission comprising Republicans, Democrats, and independents selected by retired judges. Despite expressing concerns about the existing system, Republican Governor Mike DeWine opposes the fall proposal and plans to introduce an alternative in January if it is passed by voters.
Defenders of Ohio’s current redistricting commission system point to the unanimous approval of Ohio House and Senate maps last fall, valid until 2030. However, Democrats agreed to the agreement with the understanding that issues would arise in 2024.
