Equal Districts Coalition Calls on Newly-Convened Commission to Jump-Start Redistricting
For Immediate Release
August 2, 2021
Contact:
Rachel Coyle, 419-351-5844, coyle@innovationohio.org
Katy Shanahan, 614-372-6980, shanahan@redistrictingaction.org
Equal Districts Coalition Calls on Newly-Convened Commission to Jump-Start Redistricting
COLUMBUS — Today, just thirty days before Ohio’s first redistricting deadline, Governor Mike DeWine announced that he will convene the redistricting commission charged with drawing new state legislative maps. The Equal Districts Coalition — a unified group of 25+ Ohio advocacy organizations and unions engaged in the 2021 redistricting process — applauded the governor for finally performing this important constitutional duty, but urged swift action to jump start Ohio’s map-drawing process.
"We're glad the governor has agreed to convene the redistricting commission, as the first map deadline is just weeks away. We urge the commission to immediately begin holding public hearings in a broad range of locations throughout the state, to hear Ohioans’ thoughts on how their communities should be represented," said Tom Roberts, President of the Ohio Conference of the NAACP.
The Equal Districts Coalition has been holding town halls throughout the state to explain Ohio’s new redistricting process to the public and prepare Ohioans for the official process. The town halls will continue this coming week with stops in Youngstown, Columbus, Cleveland, and Akron.
“We have been calling on Governor DeWine since February to convene this commission so it can get to work preparing for the monumental task of drawing Ohio’s future for the next decade. Now that the commission is convened, we look forward to learning soon about how they plan to host the transparent, robust, and fair redistricting process Ohioans demanded and that our Constitution requires,” said Katy Shanahan, Ohio State Director of All On The Line.
Citizen-led initiatives like the Ohio Citizens’ Redistricting Commission (OCRC) have been holding multiple redistricting hearings in diverse communities throughout the state for the past several months, modeling an open, transparent, and inclusive process for the official commission. The coalition urges the redistricting commission to follow the OCRC’s model and quickly announce when public hearings will be hosted with ample notice so all Ohioans can equitably engage.
“Now that Governor DeWine has finally agreed to fulfill his constitutional obligation, it’s time to get to work. The Equal Districts Coalition is active in ensuring that Ohioans are ready and eager to participate in redistricting. We strongly urge the commission to create an open process that allows for substantial and diverse public input,” said Desiree Tims, President and CEO of Innovation Ohio.
The Equal Districts Coalition is working to make sure Ohio's new voting districts reflect its communities and motivate politicians to remain responsive to the values and needs of voters. Ohio's current districts are some of the most rigged in the nation. The coalition refuses to accept another decade of unaccountable leadership. They are bringing together diverse communities that are traditionally left out of the map-drawing process by explaining the subject in a digestible manner, lifting up real stories to depict how redistricting directly impacts Ohioans’ lives, and equipping Ohioans with the tools they need to engage with the process.
“Whether we’re from Toledo or Chillicothe, Lima or Cincinnati, most of us believe that voters should pick their leaders, not the other way around. When Ohioans draw the maps, we choose what hospitals, schools and resources are funded in our neighborhoods. Fair districting sets the foundation for the next ten years. We need the commission to include the voices of Ohioans in a thorough and purposeful manner,” said Jeniece Brock, OCRC Vice Chair and Policy and Advocacy Director for the Ohio Organizing Collaborative.
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The Equal Districts Coalition includes the Ohio State Conference of the NAACP, Ohio Organizing Collaborative, OAPSE/AFSCME, AFSCME Ohio Council 8, the Ohio Environmental Council, Innovation Ohio, the Ohio Student Association, ProgressOhio, All On the Line-Ohio, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, Ohio Council of Churches, NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, URGE – Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity, LEAD Ohio, the Ohio Women’s Alliance, the Ohio Federation of Teachers, Ohio Education Association, CAIR-Ohio, Campus Vote Project, For Our Future Ohio, Ohio Unity Coalition, Equality Ohio, The Freedom Bloc, and more.