Proposed Fair-Districts Plan will Empower Everyday Ohioans at the Expense of Statehouse Insiders
For once, good news for Ohioans from the Statehouse:
An enthusiastic throng, spearheaded by the retired chief justice of Ohio’s Supreme Court – Greater Cleveland Republican Maureen O’Connor – celebrated the submission last week of 731,306 signatures by registered voters who are backing a proposed Ohio constitutional amendment (the Citizens Not Politicians plan) to stymie the rigging of General Assembly and Ohio’s U.S. House districts to benefit one party over another.
The Citizens Not Politicians proposal would create a new, nonpartisan and independent panel to draw those legislative and congressional districts to prevent current or former politicians and lobbyists from manipulating district lines.
Said the GOP’s O’Connor, who repeatedly voted against gerrymandering, as it’s known, when she was chief justice, “With today’s signature turn-in, we move one giant step closer to ensuring that the citizens decide who serves [in the legislature and U.S. House], not the politicians who just scheme and rig the game to stay in power. This constitutional amendment will restore power to Ohio citizens and take it away from the self-serving politicians and their lobbyist friends and big-money donors.”