Ohioans deliver hundreds of thousands of signatures to end gerrymandering: "Fair districts now!"

Columbus, Ohio - Gerrymandering will apparently be on the ballot in Ohio this year after a statewide signature-gathering effort culminated in a landslide victory!

Volunteers gather signatures for the Citizens Not Politicians Amendment to end gerrymandering in Ohio.
Volunteers gather signatures for the Citizens Not Politicians Amendment to end gerrymandering in Ohio.  © Screenshot/Facebook/Citizens Not Politicians

The Citizens Not Politicians campaign submitted 731,306 signatures from every county in Ohio in support of a constitutional amendment to end gerrymandering in the state – far more than the required number of 413,487.

Electoral maps are redrawn every 10 years based on the data from the latest US Census. Gerrymandering is the practice of political parties manipulating the lines to secure their own electoral success.

Opponents argue that partisan gerrymandering is anti-democratic and allows political parties to have an outsized influence over election results.

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The Citizens Not Politicians Amendment aims to fix that by establishing a 15-member Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission comprised of Republican, Democratic, and Independent residents who broadly represent the state's demographics. Current and former politicians would be banned from joining the body.

On top of that, the amendment would make it unconstitutional to establish voting districts that favor or discriminate against any political party or politician.

Following Monday's signature delivery, videos on social media showed a massive crowd gathering in the Ohio Statehouse and chanting "Fair Districts Now!"

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose is expected to verify the signatures in the coming weeks, enabling the amendment to go to a vote on November 5, 2024.

Cover photo: Screenshot/Facebook/Citizens Not Politicians

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