New map, same old politics | After waiting until October 21st to finally convene the first Ohio Redistricting Commission—a 30-minute hearing in which not only did nothing get done, members couldn't even agree on the rules—Commission members announced the next hearing this Wednesday for the next day, Thursday, October 30th, just one day before the clock would run out on the Commission and the process is forced back to the legislature.

Rumors of a possible deal immediately began swirling on social media and eventually in local and national political reporting. By the time the Commission was gaveled in, many of us were just waiting for confirmation from Chair Stewart for what we already knew: the parties had made a last-minute backroom deal that reflects partisan, not public, interest, completely cutting voters out.

You can see the map and read about the specifics here.

Politicians making deals behind closed doors undermines public trust, already in short supply, and shuts voters out of a process the Constitution requires to be transparent. Giving Ohioans less than a day to digest this new map and provide the feedback meant to help inform and improve the districts where they live is checking a performative constitutional box, not actually inviting the citizen participation that makes for a fair map.

Zooming out nationally, as Americans watch the race to the bottom both parties are currently engaged in, many are starting to think through the consequences of a political culture where people object to gerrymandering when the party they don't like does it but root for it when their party leans in (spoiler– it's not good). We're seeing a growing call for national anti-gerrymandering legislation, which is an opportunity for us to lead and lift up those conversations ourselves.

Back at home, both Republicans and Democrats feel like their parties sold them out—and they're both right! We couldn't have asked for a more clear illustration of why letting politicians choose their voters robs all us all of real representation. A map drawn in the dark without public input and without transparency is not what Ohioans voted for, and it’s not what we deserve.

After hearing impressive and impassioned testimony from redistricting advocates from around Ohio (including many Fair Districts members) this week, the Commission voted unanimously to pass the map.

You can watch the Thursday hearing here and the Friday hearing here (see Trevor at minute 26).

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(Scroll to the bottom of this page for the timeline of the process.) 

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