After 212 Years Drawing Congressional Maps, Ohio Still Searches for Truly Representative Districts
Although the nation’s founders intended congressional redistricting to occur only once per decade, in the year following each census, no provision of the U.S. Constitution prohibits more frequent redistricting.
Over the decades, Ohioans grew accustomed to periodic political brawls over redistricting, promised reforms and failed reforms.
By definition, gerrymandering ensures some ballots count more than others. It creates odd-shaped districts to pack as many voters of the opposite party into as few districts as possible, leaving more districts to be won by the party controlling the mapmaking process.
While the U.S. Supreme Court has ensured districts must have nearly equal populations, it ruled in June 2019 that partisan gerrymandering is outside the scope of federal law. With no federal standard, the battle to curb gerrymandering must be waged state by state.
The proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution would create a 15-member redistricting commission (5 Democrats; 5 Republicans; 5 independents), taking mapmaking powers away from Statehouse politicians.
If approved, Ohio would join a growing number of states to create an independent commission to draw maps for congressional and state legislative districts. In 2018, by a 61-39 vote, Michigan voters approved creation of an independent commission. In many respects, the Ohio proposal resembles the Michigan plan.