COLUMBUS, Ohio — While Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine does acknowledge that the state needs a new political mapmaking system for congressional and Statehouse representation, he does not support the proposed constitutional amendment that will be on the ballot in November.
"We must put an end to gerrymandering once and for all," the governor said during an hour-long press conference on redistricting Wednesday. "We must give the voters a system that they can trust and have confidence in."
Here's what you need to know about Ohio's current mapmaking system, previous efforts to reform redistricting, what the new amendment would specify, and DeWine's idea for adopting another state's system to stop gerrymandering.
THE CURRENT SYSTEM
Political redistricting has long been under the microscope in Ohio. In 2015, voters approved the establishment of a new redistricting commission made up of seven members, including the governor and secretary of state. The Ohio General Assembly later passed a law putting new guidelines in place that would allow for district maps to be redrawn sooner if they did not have enough support from both Republican and Democratic lawmakers.
Currently, Republicans hold large majorities in both the Ohio House and Senate, and the Redistricting Commission swings 5-2 in favor of the GOP. Following the latest census count in 2020, members pushed through several maps that state and federal courts found to be unconstitutionally slanted towards the GOP. The 2022 General Assembly races even went ahead with districts that judges admitted were technically not lawful.
"My personal experience with the current procedure is that it simply does not work well," DeWine noted at the start of his remarks on Wednesday. "It needs to be changed."
THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT
The proposed constitutional amendment put forth by Citizens Not Politicians seeks to replace the current Ohio Redistricting Commission with an independent body selected directly by citizens. The new panel's members would be diversified by party affiliation and geography.
Advocates for the amendment hope it will end the days of gerrymandering in Ohio by creating districts that more accurately reflect the state's political leanings without glaringly favoring one party over the other.
DeWine sees the opposite happening if voters approve the measure in November.
"If this amendment were to be adopted, Ohio would actually end up with a system that mandates — that compels — map drawers to produce gerrymandered districts," the governor said in his remarks. "In fact, Ohio would have gerrymandering in the extreme."
DeWINE'S SOLUTION
"Ohio must have a constitutional provision that instructs the map makers that they cannot consider past voting data that the map drawers know will lead to a predetermined partisan outcome," the governor explained. "Maps should be drawn based on population, with no consideration of past partisan voting patterns."
DeWine also wants maps that "avoid the splitting of political subdivisions," including cities, counties, villages, and townships. "In Ohio, as we all know, services are delivered at the local, county, village, city, and township level. That's why it is so important that they not be split unnecessarily."
So what would this look like? DeWine wants to use a system that is similar to what is done in Iowa.
- Districts are required to be reasonably compact
- Districts cannot be drawn to favor a political party, incumbent legislator, or member of congress
- The map drawer is prohibited from using:
- The addresses of incumbent legislators or members of Congress.
- Political affiliation of registered voters.
- Previous election results.
- Demographic information, other than population head counts, except as required by the Constitution and the laws of the United States.
"The Iowa plan is simple, it is clear, and it takes politics out of the map drawing forever," DeWine added.
DeWine elected not to call the Ohio General Assembly back to work, and said he will wait until early next year to ask lawmakers to work on legislation, even if the constitutional amendment measure passes in November.
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING
Citizens Not Politicians
Former Republican Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court Maureen O'Connor, who while on the bench consistently ruled against what she claimed were overtly partisan maps, has been one of the leaders of Citizens Not Politicians' effort. She released the following:
"The disinformation from the Governor today is insulting to everyone in Ohio, and especially insulting to the half a million Ohioans — Republicans, Democrats and Independents — who put the Citizens Not Politicians Amendment on the November ballot.
"Gov. DeWine voted with his fellow politicians seven times for unconstitutional maps, and now says what Ohio really needs is what he calls 'The Iowa Plan,' a system where the Governor and other politicians get the final say on maps. For nearly a year, we have been publicly collecting signatures in all 88 counties and now — 97 days before the election — he tells Ohioans that he and his friends in the legislature are already scheming to overturn what voters will pass in November.
"We're done listening to self-serving politicians tell us how they want to keep rigging the game. On to November.
"Since the Governor demonstrated in his rambling and disjointed press conference today that he does not understand our amendment, I am offering to sit down and meet with him to explain it."
Lt. Gov. Jon Husted
"Issue 1 is based on the flawed concept of proportionality and would enshrine gerrymandering in the Ohio Constitution, undermining representative democracy by allowing a small group of unaccountable commissioners to predetermine the political control of congressional and legislative districts without competitive elections.
"The idea of proportionality sounds fair in the same way socialism sounds fair — it completely ignores merit and thwarts competition in favor of predetermined outcomes."
Ohio Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio
"Removing politicians from Ohio's redistricting process is our only path to ensure fair maps in the future. We are OHIO, not Iowa. The Governor's proposal today appears to be another eleventh-hour attempt to subvert the will of the people and keep a stranglehold on the GOP artificial supermajority. I look forward to amplifying the voice of the people, not politicians, in my total support of Issue 1 in November."
Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens
"We have less than 100 days to unite and show voters why Issue 1 is bad for Ohio. I look forward to working with the Governor, the Senate, and the entire GOP Caucus to defeat Issue 1 in November. Once Issue 1 is defeated, we will continue to work to ensure all Ohioans voices are heard and represented."
Previous Reporting:
- Proposed amendment to change Ohio's political mapmaking system will be on November ballot, secretary of state confirms
- Campaign to get new political mapmaking system on Ohio’s ballot submits more than 700,000 signatures
- Ohio US Senate candidates on legalizing marijuana; How President Joe Biden won't end up on the Ohio ballot; Gerrymandering reform: Ohio Has Issues
