Gerrymandering a Threat to Ohio Veterans, Gold Star Families. "We Know the Price of Freedom.

The following was a column that appeared in the Columbus Dispatch on Sunday.

As we celebrate Memorial Day Monday and honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, it's imperative to reflect on the importance of fair representation and the integrity of our electoral system.

The recent gerrymandering in Ohio, one of the most manipulated states in the nation, has undermined the democratic process and the will of the people. It's time for a change, and the Citizens Not Politicians Amendment offers a promising solution.

This is a time when we honor and remember those who died while serving in the country’s armed forces. For most citizens, it marks the start of summer, celebrated with backyard cookouts and evening fireworks across the nation.

Establishment politicians have proven that they cannot be trusted to draw fair legislative districts using an open and transparent process. A broad nonpartisan coalition of Ohio citizens has come together to end gerrymandering by proposing the Citizens Not Politicians Amendment to our state constitution.

The proposed legislation would replace the current politician-dominated commission with a 15-member Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission that would include Republican, Independent, and Democratic voters. It bans current and recent political officeholders, those with strong political ties, and lobbyists from drawing maps and makes it unconstitutional to draw maps that favor one party.

Read teh full column from Scott W. Patton, a member of a Gold Star family