Fair Districts = Fair Elections Coalition Celebrates Passage of Issue 1 Fair Districts

On Tuesday evening, supporters of Issue 1 celebrated passage of bipartisan Redistricting reform.

“The people of Ohio have been waiting a long time for fair districts and an end to gerrymandering,” said Carrie Davis, Executive Director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio (LWVO). “We are thrilled that a fair process for drawing state legislative districts is finally required by Ohio’s constitution.”

“Ohio voters sent a clear message today,” said Davis. “They want districts to be fair and the winners to be determined by the voters.”

“We want to thank former Representatives Vernon Sykes and Matt Huffman for all their work getting this reform through the legislature and onto the ballot,” added Catherine Turcer of Common Cause Ohio. “Their bipartisan teamwork and the support of a broad, diverse coalition shows us how government should work, setting partisan politics aside and working in the best interests of the people.”

“Today’s win was an important first step, but it only got us halfway there,” concluded Davis. “We need to take these new anti-gerrymandering rules that Issue 1 applied to the General Assembly and extend them to Congressional districts, which are even more gerrymandered. We will continue to work with members of both parties in the General Assembly and Constitutional Modernization Commission to put Congressional Redistricting reform on the 2016 ballot.”