This story was published in partnership with Queer News Network, a collaboration of 11 LGBTQ+ newsrooms to cover up ballot elections in 10 states. You can read more about Queer News Network here.
Gerrymandering – the practice of mapping and redistricting often used to benefit specific political parties – will be on the ballot this year in Ohio, which is also one of the most gerrymandering states in the country. – according to a report by the League of Women Voters of Ohio.
Defended by the group Citizens, not politiciansBallot proposal Issue 1 would amend Ohio’s constitution to replace the state Redistricting Commission with an independent, nonpartisan panel composed of an equal number of Democrats, Republicans and Independents. It would also exclude current politicians and lobbyists from the panel.
A recent poll found that 60% of Ohioans plan to vote for No. 1but what impact does this proposal have on the LGBTQ+ community, and what are the stakes if it were passed or rejected by a majority vote?
For queer voters in urban areas, redistricting has historically helped elect politicians who have championed LGBTQ+ rights in the past. Many in the community hope that if Ohio passes Proposition 1, it could open up opportunities for more LGBTQ+-friendly lawmakers in the future.
Why does gerrymandering matter in Ohio?
The majority party that controls state governments has enormous influence over how districts are drawn: There are currently five Republicans on the commission: the governor, the auditor, the secretary of state and two local politicians. The other two lawmakers are Democrats, as required by law.
In 2022, the Ohio Supreme Court invalidated the commission’s maps seven times, finding them unconstitutional. They were later upheld by a federal court.
Maureen O’Connor, a former Republican chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, joined the three Democratic justices in this decision and now leads the Citizens, Not Politicians initiative.
But more than just parties, gerrymandering has the ability to divide what voting rights advocates and experts call “communities of interest,” groups that share ethnic, cultural, geographic, economic or other identities, among different constituencies.
For example, in Cincinnati’s 1st District, which was redistricted in 2018, it is merged with the much wealthier Warren County. The median household income in Cincinnati is just under $50,000, while Warren County residents earn over $100,000.
Since the 1850s, Warren County has voted for a Democratic presidential candidate only once, – reports the Cincinnati Enquirer.
“Mapmakers created a district characterized by deep economic disparities in which almost any economic policy would benefit one half of the district at the expense of the other,” according to a report by the League of Women Voters.
Before 2018, Cincinnati was split in two and included parts of Hamilton County’s more conservative suburbs in addition to Warren County.
Redistricting reforms introduced the same year called for cities to be unified, not divided.
How does this affect the queer community?
Ohio has the sixth-largest population of LGBTQ+ adults in the countryclustered around the state’s major cities. According to voting rights experts, lumping these votes with suburbs deprives the community of proper representation.
Supporters point to recent legislation passed by the Conservatives against LGBTQ+ communities that might not have been implemented if redistricting had been more equitable.
In 2021 LGBTQ+ Victory Fund launched the “We Belong Together” campaign, which aimed to call queer communities “communities of interest” in redistribution processes. The fund focused on states with independent redistricting commissions, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Michigan and Montana.
ABOUTon the campaign websiteThe LGTBTQ+ Victory Fund notes that the tardy pioneering gay activist Harvey Milk won election to the Board of Supervisors after redistricting San Francisco’s unified majority gay Castro district.
It is unclear whether Ohio would be included if Proposition 1 passes.
Who opposes this measure and why?
Republican Party of Ohio, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, US announcer Mike JohnsonOhio Senate President Matt Huffman and Secretary of State Frank LaRose — chairman of the current committee — argue that Issue 1 legitimizes gerrymandering.
Republicans tried to change the language on the ballot — but not in the constitutional amendment itself — to say that Issue 1 redistricting violates constitutional protections against gerrymandering and requires districts to favor the two largest political parties. 🔥
START ACTION
- VOTE! To register to vote or check your eligibility to vote in Ohio, click here.
- To read all about the LGBTQ+ legislation currently proposed in Ohio, click here.
- To find the contact information for your Ohio State Representative, click here.
- To find the contact information for an Ohio senator, click here.
