One of the issues on the ballot in Ohio is a constitutional amendment intended to end gerrymandering. But wait, didn’t we already have that? Yes, we did. A few years ago, we passed an amendment that created a bipartisan commission to do the redistricting, subject to certain rules to ensure they couldn’t gerrymander.
Which the Republican-controlled commission then promptly ignored, and drew up a gerrymandered map that violated the rules that they were required to follow.
So now We the People are trying again. It’s pretty clear that the state Democratic party supports the new amendment: Every prominent Democrat in the state has endorsed it. And it’s also pretty clear that the state Republican party opposes it: The Republican-controlled ballot commission wrote up a ballot summary that blatantly lies about what the amendment says, and most statewide Republicans, DJT, and Fox News have all come out against it.
But what would it actually change? It seems to me that this one will be just as toothless as what we have now, and Republicans will still hold a majority of the seats on the commission, and Republicans will still control the impasse procedure, and they’ll still ignore the rules that they’re required to follow. But if it won’t change anything, why would anyone (on either side) feel so strongly about it?
My understanding is that the Amendment establishes a “citizen lead” system, rather than a politician lead system.
Specifically, the nucleus seems to rest in the Ohio Ballot Board. They are (per Ballotpedia):
The Ohio Secretary of State
One member appointed by the president of the Ohio State Senate
One member appointed by the minority leader of the Ohio State Senate
One member appointed by the speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives
One member appointed by the minority leader of the Ohio House of Representatives
I wouldn’t be greatly hopeful, unless the people start to vote against gerrymanders.
My advise to the citizens of Ohio would be an Amendment that:
Can be initiated by citizens without any political nucleation point.
Creates and defines criminal codes against gerrymanderist activities that can be prosecuted by any state or federal law enforcement officer in the land.
Again, if Congress allowed proportional representation in the House, then there is a possibility the people of a state could have non-gerrymandered representation.
If you’re saying that the elimination of gerrymandering will make the situation worse, then, other than percieved pitfalls of possibly more espensive elections along with maybe less incumbent seniority (for more influence in Congress), I think a tremendously bigger concern is the disenfranchisement of minority voters, immediately rendering the concept one that should be seriously reconsidered. While the Democrats have resorted to it, for some reason that I can’t quite put my finger on they are much more open to the idea of eliminating gerrymandering than Republicans.
The deadlock procedure means that, ultimately, a majority bloc on the commission can get the map they want, and the procedure for the removal of rogue commissioners requires a majority of the other commissioners. So if three of the four “independent” commissioners are Republican, they can still ignore the requirements, just like they’re doing now.
Please try to stay on topic. This is a very narrow thread, pertaining to the State of Ohio. It is not the place to vent your general displeasure about no proportional representation.
they are much more open to the idea of eliminating gerrymandering than Republicans.