The Ohio Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Graham Stokes for Ohio Capital Journal)
Ohio Capital Jounral 2024 Ohio Voter Guide
Ohio Issue 1, the Establish the Citizens Redistricting Commission Initiative, is on the ballot in Ohio as an initiated constitutional amendment.
A “yes” vote supports establishing the Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission (CRC), a 15-member non-politician commission responsible for adopting state legislative and congressional redistricting plans.
A “no” vote opposes establishing the Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission (CRC), thus keeping the Ohio Redistricting Commission, a politician commission established in 2015 for state legislative districts, and the process established for congressional districts in 2018.
What would the ballot initiative change about redistricting in Ohio?
The citizen-initiated constitutional amendment would establish the Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission (CRC), which would be responsible for adopting state legislative and congressional redistricting plans. The CRC would replace the Ohio Redistricting Commission, established in 2015 for state legislative districts, and the process established for congressional districts in 2018.
The commission would have 15 members: five Republicans, five Democrats, and five individuals who are independents or members of other political parties. The ballot measure would create a screening panel of four retired judges, two Republicans and two Democrats, to review and screen applicants interested in serving as members of the commission. The screening panel would be required to consider commission applicants’ “qualifications, conflicts of interest, party affiliation, relevant experiences and skills, community ties, and commitment to impartiality, compromise, and fairness.”
The ballot initiative would require the commission’s actions and deliberations to be conducted in public meetings. Actions would require the affirmative vote of at least nine (of 15) commissioners, including at least two Republicans, two Democrats, and two independents. The ballot measure would require that, no later than September 19, 2025, and by July 15 of every year ending in one (2031, 2041, and so on), the commission must adopt final redistricting plans.
The ballot measure would require “the statewide proportion of districts… that favors each political party shall correspond closely to the statewide partisan preferences of the voters of Ohio.”
How would Ohio compare to other states?
Ohio would be the ninth state to establish a non-politician commission for congressional redistricting and the tenth state for state legislative redistricting. The most recent states to establish non-politician commissions were Colorado and Michigan in 2018.
As of 2024, 34 states had legislature-dominated redistricting processes for state legislative redistricting. Ohio was one of five states with a politician commission for state legislative redistricting. Thirty-three (33) states, including Ohio, had legislature-dominated redistricting processes for congressional redistricting. However, Ohio’s process involved conditional steps that could include the politician commission.
