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Fall 2012 Issue
PUBLIC POLICY
Issue 2: the State’s Redistricting Initiative
What it is and why you should care
Issue 2 is on the Nov. 6 statewide ballot, and is a constitutional
amendment to change the way new legislative district lines are
drawn following each decade’s new census.
Currently, district boundaries for the 16 U.S. House of
Representative seats are drawn by the Ohio General Assembly.
The Apportionment Board, comprised of the governor, the
secretary of state, the state auditor and one legislative leader
from each party, draw the lines for the Ohio General Assembly’s
132 house and senate districts. The reality is that whichever
party controls the Apportionment Board and general assembly
can draw lines with little input from the minority party. Whether
Democrats or Republicans are in charge, both parties historically
and understandably draw lines that they feel will help elect more
candidates from their own party.
Voters First, the coalition behind Issue 2, believes its proposal
will create a more independent Citizens Commission to draw
new legislative districts. Voters First’s summary of Issue 2
explains that:
• A 12-member Citizens Commission will create the districts.
• All meetings, records, communications and draft plans
of the commission must be open to the public.
• The Citizens Commission will include equal numbers
of Republicans, Democrats and independents, and the
approval of at least seven of the twelve members of the
commission will be required for the adoption of any plan.
• Any member of the public can submit a plan for
consideration. Districts will be created that are
geographically compact, and which minimize the
division of counties, townships, municipalities
and wards between different districts.
• To the greatest extent possible, the share of
districts leaning toward a party will reflect the
political preferences of the voters of Ohio.
On its face, this may sound good. We all want our voice to be
heard by people elected to represent us. And it’s safe to say
that we all want an electoral system that is fair to any party and
anyone that wishes to seek election.
The Ohio Restaurant Association Board of Directors met Sept.
12 and considered arguments from both sides of this issue. The
board voted unanimously to oppose Issue 2 because the members
simply believe it represents bad public policy. Here’s why:
• Issue 2 empowers unelected and, therefore, unaccountable
commissioners to draw legislative district lines.
• Equally troubling, the commissioners themselves are
picked by a few randomly chosen judges, again with
little accountability.
• The language in Issue 2 was not created through an open,
participatory process.
• Concern with the notion of amending the state
constitution with an untested plan that legal experts,
business organizations and media outlets consider
poorly conceived and drafted.
“The Ohio Constitution is no place for experimental public policy,”
said Geoff Hetrick, President and CEO of the ORA. “Given the
concerns expressed by so many and the fact that a bipartisan
commission is working to address the redistricting issue, we
urge our members and Ohioans to reject Issue 2.”
While few would argue that the current system is perfect, the
ORA believes that replacing it with Issue 2 would be worse and
is not in the best interest of Ohio’s citizens and our members.
“Given the concerns expressed
by so many and the fact that a
bipartisan commission is working
to address the redistricting issue,
we urge our members and Ohioans
to reject Issue 2.”
