With Election Day looming in just under two weeks (on November 3) Ohio's Issue 1 has gotten little attention compared with the other issues on the ballot, but is a proposal with wide-ranging support, according to the Columbus Dispatch. Issue 1 is the redistricting amendment, which would change the process for drawing Ohio's voting districts for state races.
The new system would involve a seven-member panel comprised of the governor, state auditor, secretary of state and four individuals appointed by the state legislature, including two appointees from the minority party. When the panel approves a redistricting plan, the two minority-party members must approve it in order for it to be put into place for ten years. If they do not approve it, the plan will only be effective for four years.
According to the League of Women Voters, which has endorsed the proposal, the issue will subject political map-making to "stricter criteria," including requiring the districts to reflect the statewide political preferences of voters, and banning partisan gerrymandering. Issue 1 would also require public hearings, creating greater transparency for the process.
The issue has recently been endorsed by the AFL-CIO, Columbus Chamber of Commerce, Ohio Farm Bureau and Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio, according to the Dispatch. Other official supporters include the Ohio Republican Party, the Ohio Democratic Party and Secretary of State John Husted. The issue would not affect how Ohio's congressional districts are drawn.
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