Ohio's constitution requires that state and federal legislative districts be redrawn each decade subsequent to the census data report.  State Issue 4 proposes creating an independent Redistricting Commission to approve – with the help of a “competitiveness formula” – the shape, size and composition of Ohio’s congressional and General Assembly districts. The commission is comprised of five members, two of which are appointed by the longest-serving appeals court judges from each party. The two judicial appointees then select the three remaining members. 

Currently, this is the responsibility of the five-member Apportionment Board, which is made up of the governor, the auditor of state, the secretary of state and one person from the two major political parties, chosen by each party’s leadership in the General Assembly.

Issue 4 requires redistricting to take place in 2007 based upon the 2000 census information. Under current law, the next redistricting would take place in 2011 following the 2010 census.

(Ohio law requires the Secretary of State to gather arguments for each state issue from proponents and arguments against from opponents. Excerpts from these arguments on Issue 4 follow.)

AGAINST

Vote No on Issue 4 for the following reasons.

• First, Ohio voters lose the ability to hold public officials accountable in the process to create districts for the Ohio General Assembly and the U.S. Congress. Instead, the proposed amendment would place this power in the hands of a new commission that is made up of 5 political appointees. Two of the commission members would be selected by judges and the others may be chosen by lot. The members of the commission would not be required to meet any minimum level of qualifications. Once appointed, the commissioners would serve for an indefinite period of time, and would never be accountable to Ohio voters.
   
• Second, the proposed amendment would grant the commission virtually unlimited power to spend Ohio tax dollars with essentially no control by Ohio voters or other state leaders. No other state commission has this extraordinary spending power.
   
• Third, although today the Ohio Constitution protects your right to vote for someone who represents your community or neighborhood, the proposed amendment would require the commission to focus on political parties. The proposal expressly allows districts to be gerrymandered to ensure that one party or the other wins, rather than ensure that all Ohioans have a fair chance to have a representative who shares their point of view.
   
• Finally, the proposed amendment would remove from the Ohio Constitution the authority of Ohio’s courts to review the commission’s activities. Therefore, unlike all other Ohio public officials, political subdivisions, boards, commissions, and agencies, Ohio citizens would have virtually no ability to challenge the actions of this unelected commission in Ohio’s courts. The commission should not be uniquely unaccountable and placed above the law.

Vote YES to restore competitiveness to Congressional and State legislative races in Ohio.

Issue 4 will help make politicians more accountable and responsive to constituents.

Issue 4 will combat corruption in state government by making politicians listen more to constituents and less to big donors and special interests.

Issue 4 designates an independent, non-partisan commission to draw legislative districts with a goal of making the districts competitive, while preserving communities and minority rights.

The independent commission will replace the current system, which allows politicians to draw the districts to serve their own partisan interests. Currently, using sophisticated computer models, the political party in power manipulates the districts to maximize the number of seats it is likely to win and minimize the number likely to be won by the opposing party. The result is 'safe seats' where incumbents almost never lose.

Consider these shocking statistics, which reflect the problem nationally and in Ohio:

• In 435 U.S. House races last year, only 13 seats changed party;
   
• In Ohio, every Congressman and State Senator up for election was re-elected and only a handful of State House incumbents lost;
   
• In Ohio, the average margins of victory were 44 points in Congressional races, 35 points in State Senate races, and 38 points in State House races.

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