{"id":298,"date":"2022-03-28T02:17:56","date_gmt":"2022-03-28T02:17:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/ohio\/articles\/your-input-is-needed-on-draft-general-assembly-maps\/"},"modified":"2022-03-28T02:17:56","modified_gmt":"2022-03-28T02:17:56","slug":"your-input-is-needed-on-draft-general-assembly-maps","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.commoncause.org\/ohio\/articles\/your-input-is-needed-on-draft-general-assembly-maps\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Input is Needed on Draft General Assembly Maps"},"template":"","class_list":["post-298","article","type-article","status-publish","hentry","article_type-blog-post"],"acf":{"details":{"summary":"","featured_image":null,"article_type":153,"authors":null,"related_issues":false,"related_work":false,"location":null},"sidebar":{"helper_enable_sidebar":false,"helper_media_contact":{"heading":"Media Contact","manually_enter_person":false,"person":null,"name":"","role":"","phone":"","email":""},"helper_links_downloads":{"heading":"Links & Downloads","links":null}},"page_layout":[{"acf_fc_layout":"layout_wysiwyg","_acfe_flexible_toggle":null,"component_wysiwyg":{"content":"As we write this, Sunday\u2019s (3\/27\/22)\u00a0 marathon sessions of the Ohio Redistricting Commission have not yet concluded. It\u2019s been a very slow and frustrating process\u2014and so far the public has not had an official opportunity to weigh in, even though WE KNOW how important public input is to the process, and the Commissioners know it too.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nDuring Saturday\u2019s Ohio Redistricting Commission hearing, <\/span>three<\/i><\/b> Commissioners talked about the importance of <\/span>community interests. <\/b>Auditor Faber pointed out that, <\/span>\u201cthere may be other community factors that I think it's also proper for us to consider, things that we heard in close to 80 hours of testimony before this commission that could change the dynamic.\u201d<\/span><\/i> Leader Russo concurred, and even President Huffman agreed.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe problem is, the independent mapmakers selected by the Commission to draw Ohio House and Senate maps are from <\/span>California<\/b> and <\/span>Florida<\/b>. They don\u2019t know<\/span> the landscape and local character of our Ohio communities, and the ways these communities do not always align with the given boundaries of municipalities or townships. Without local knowledge, it becomes very easy to draw a line inappropriately regardless of intention.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nThat\u2019s where you come in.<\/b> Each of the two mappers have shared two sets of draft Ohio House and Senate maps. You can view them <\/span>HERE<\/span><\/a>. (And here are <\/span>tips for how to Zoom in closer<\/span><\/a> when looking at maps in Dave\u2019s Redistricting App.) There are some significant differences between the drafts. For example, one pairs Montgomery County with Green, the other pairs it with Preble. Your opinion and perspective is very valuable.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nPlease take a look at these draft maps! <\/b>If there are lines that you believe have been drawn in the wrong place, let the Commission know by emailing them at <\/span>info@redistricting.ohio.gov<\/span><\/a>. You can also write to each Commission member\u2014contact information provided below. Let them know which version of the map you prefer for your area, and what changes need to be made. AND, we hope that by early Monday there will be a unified draft House and Senate maps from the two mappers\u2014we will upload those to the same link<\/a> as soon as we have them.<\/span>\r\n\r\nDon\u2019t forget, you can watch the mappers at work via the <\/span>Ohio Channel<\/span><\/a> Live Stream: <\/span>There is a<\/span> Workroom<\/span><\/a> livestream and then the possibility of three separate computer screen views, each streaming only when the computers are in use. You can find those at <\/span>ohiochannel.org<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nWatch Monday\u2019s 10:00 am hearing with us on our Redistricting Commission. Watch Party (Register <\/span>HERE<\/span><\/a>) or follow along on the <\/span>Ohio Channel<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nCommissioner Contact Information:<\/b>\r\n