The heads of prominent civil rights and anti-discrimination groups, as well as faith-based groups, have joined the list of supporters of Ohio’s Issue 1, which would reform the redistricting process by replacing politicians with citizen commissioners.
The Ohio Organizing Collaborative released the document open letter signed by over 60 “black faith leaders” of churches and religious groups from across the state, saying leaders felt “compelled to address the urgent and pressing need for citizen-led initiatives to liberate our democratic processes from the grip of partisan politics.”
“A fair redistricting process will restore our right to have Black votes represented in state government,” the letter stated.
As leaders of their churches and faith groups, those who signed the letter said they were “called to protect the dignity and autonomy of our congregations” and therefore supported changes to the state’s redistricting process.
This is not the first open letter issued in support of the proposed amendment. Dozens of Ohio business leaders launched in January signing the letter through the national Leadership Now project. As of August 20, the letter had 82 signatures, including Dr. Amy Acton, Jeni Britton of Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams, Cathy M. Little, former senior vice president of Worthington Industries, and Robert Schottenstein, president and CEO of M/I Homes.
The business leaders’ letter said the proposal “prohibits gerrymandering, prohibits the consideration of individual officials or candidates in drawing maps, and ensures an open and transparent redistricting process with broad and meaningful public participation.”
Those who signed called the process of “ensuring fair representation of the voting population” a “key aspect of ensuring a strong representative democracy.”
Changes described in issue 1 would involve disbanding the Ohio Redistricting Commission, made up entirely of elected officials, in favor of a 15-member citizen-led commission that would redraw Ohio’s statehouse and congressional congressional districts. The proposed amendment to the constitution It would also specify the process by which this commission would decide districts, including using previous election results to determine the partisan ratios used in districts and following federal redistricting laws.
“This is more than an initiative, it is a movement,” the faith leaders wrote in their letter. “One that cuts across party lines and brings together a diverse coalition in pursuit of a fair and representative democracy where every voice truly matters.”
The Ohio Organizing Collaborative also joined with civil rights organizations in the state, such as the NAACP, the Ohio Unity Coalition and the state Black Legislative Caucus, to support the vote. Citizens Not Politicians announced that the groups would be included in advertising for the measure as part of a $20 million “TV blitz” launched by the group.
Roberts said in a statement to Citizens Not Politicians that gerry land tampering “has harmed Black communities and Black people in Ohio.” He said the current system is “inexplicable” given the seven maps that the Ohio Supreme Court found unconstitutional “that seek to dilute and divide the Black community.”
In September 2021, with the latest redistricting process already well underway, two years into the statehouse maps, Republican Party staffer Ray DiRossi submitted maps that he believed were fully consistent with the “requirements imposed by the state constitution.”
However, following the recommendations of “legislative leaders,” DiRossi stated that “we did not use demographic or racial data in creating our maps.”
These maps will become one of five sets that the Ohio Supreme Court finds unconstitutional.
“The bottom line is that some politicians will say anything to maintain our current broken system that allows them to work with lobbyists to gerrymander voting districts to discriminate against black voters and silence the voices of black voters.” – Andre Washington, President A. Philip, Ohio. Randolph Institute and second vice president of the Ohio NAACP Conference, said in a statement supporting Release 1.
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