Dear Editor,
In a display of civic engagement, area residents rallied at the United Steelworkers Local 169 on Wednesday for a drive-through signature gathering event.
Volunteers gathered signatures on petitions to place the Citizens Not Politicians Amendment on the ballot this November. The amendment will transform the redistricting process in Ohio by eliminating gerrymandering.
“To see my neighbors – Republicans, Democrats and Independents – lined up in their cars to support this effort was a testament to our community’s dedication to fair representation,” said organizer and Richland County resident Roberta Skoke.
Signature gathering is underway across the state. The coalition must collect 413,487 valid signatures of registered voters by July 3, 2024, to qualify for the 2024 Ohio General Election Ballot on Nov. 5.
The group is holding events like this around Ohio from now through the primary election on March 19 to underscore that Ohio citizens once again are being forced by the politicians to vote on legislative candidates running in gerrymandered districts.
Gerrymandering is when politicians, insiders and special interests manipulate electoral district boundaries to favor one party or class, undermining the principle of fair representation. It results in gridlock, dysfunction and bad public policy, stifling economic growth.
The Citizens Not Politicians Amendment seeks to ensure that Ohio’s redistricting process is led by citizens, not politicians and their cronies, aiming for fair and impartial legislative and congressional districts.
Ohio is one of the most gerrymandered states in the country.
The Citizens Not Politicians Amendment will:
- Create the 15-member Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission made up of Republican, Democratic and independent citizens who broadly represent the different geographic areas and demographics of the state.
- Ban current or former politicians, political party officials, and lobbyists from sitting on the commission.
- Require fair and impartial districts by making it unconstitutional to draw voting districts that discriminate against or favor any political party or individual politician.
- Require the commission to operate under an open and independent process.
The amendment and more information can be found at: www.citizensnotpoliticians.org.
“Today, Mansfield showed up in force to support a future where our votes truly count,” Skoke said. “It’s inspiring to see such passion for ending gerrymandering.”
Citizens not politicians
Citizens Not Politicians is a coalition of people and organizations seeking to end gerrymandering in Ohio by removing politicians from the redistricting process and instead empowering Ohio citizens to draw fair and impartial legislative and congressional districts through an open and independent process. Read the amendment and learn more at CitizensNotPoliticians.org.
Chris Davey
Columbus, Ohio