A proposed constitutional amendment that would change the Ohio Constitution by rewriting the rules for apportioning election districts will be put before voters on a Nov. 5 general election ballot, the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office announced. announced on Tuesday.
The proposed constitutional amendment would establish the Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission, whose goal would be to ensure “an open and transparent process and fair outcomes that preserve the political power of the people.”
The redistricting amendment met the requirements of Ohio law and was placed on the November ballot, receiving 535,005 valid signatures in 58 counties.
The amendment will then be considered at a meeting of the Electoral Commission to be held soon. https://t.co/FKrb3cyQuN photo:twitter.com/CbUS7K3DjP
— OHSoS (@OHSecofState) July 23, 2024
According to the 33-page proposal filed with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office last year, the constitutional amendment “would replace the current redistricting process run by politicians with a citizen-led commission charged with creating fair legislative and congressional districts through a more open and independent system.”
The commission would be composed of 15 members — five Democrats, five Republicans and five independents — and would not allow current or former elected officials to serve on it.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost found The proposed constitutional amendment was deemed “just and true” on November 9, 2023, after the fourth submission of the motion.
For the proposed constitutional amendment to be placed on the November ballot, it needs at least 413,487 signatures, which is 10 percent of all votes cast for governor in the last election.
In addition, these signatures must come from at least 44 of Ohio’s 88 counties. In each of the 44 counties, the signatures must represent at least 5 percent of the total number of votes cast for the office of governor in that county in the last gubernatorial election.
Since Yost’s endorsement, activists supporting the proposed constitutional amendment have collected 535,005 signatures in 58 counties, allowing the proposal to be placed on the November ballot.
Once approved by Yost’s office and the required signatures collected, the proposed constitutional amendment will be considered at a future meeting of the Ohio Ballot Board to determine ballot language and title.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose chairs the Ohio Ballot Board.
– – –
Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at Ohio Star AND Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
Photo “Dave Yost” by Dave Yost, translation:
