What Is Issue 1?

The 2024 Issue 1 is an Ohio constitutional amendment that would fundamentally change how legislative and congressional district lines are drawn in our state. Backed by foreign-funded political organizations, the amendment would replace the current redistricting process that requires both parties to approve district lines with an unaccountable system that would allow maps with no support from one of the two major parties.

Simply put, the amendment would constitutionally protect gerrymandering. Under the new process, a commission of 15 unelected bureaucrats would be established to draw the state legislative lines for the 99 members of the Ohio House of Representatives, the 33 members of the Ohio Senate, and the 15 members of the U.S. congressional delegation. The voters would have no say in who is on this commission, and no ability to hold them accountable for politically gerrymandered maps.

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Why does Center for Christian Virtue oppose Issue 1?

There are 5 key reasons Center for Christian Virtue is encouraging a NO vote on Issue 1:

1) Issue 1 is textbook gerrymandering.

By removing the requirement that districts prioritize compact districts and keeping communities of interest together, the constitutional amendment allows for absurd districts to be drawn to achieve a certain political outcome.

2) Issue 1 takes the power away from the people.

Drawing legislative and congressional district lines is one of the most high-stakes and important processes in our nation. Issue 1 guarantees that those given this great power could never be held accountable by the voters for their decisions.

3) Issue 1 creates a new complex bureaucracy that is easily manipulated.

Drawing legislative and congressional district lines is one of the most high-stakes and important processes in our nation. Issue 1 guarantees that those given this great power could never be held accountable by the voters for their decisions.

4) Issue 1 is backed by foreign-political organizations.

The Sixteen-Thirty Fund, which receives millions from foreign billionaires, has poured $6 million into Ohio to pass Issue 1. They acted quickly to move the money into the campaign account before Ohio’s new ban on foreign donations went into eff ect.

5) Issue 1 is backed by radical leftist, pro-abortion, and transgender organizations.

Ohio Progressive Collaborative, Planned Parenthood, and Equality Ohio are pressing hard to pass Issue 1. Their radical political agendas have never been able to pass through the General Assembly, and Issue 1 would rig the redistricting process to allow their harmful ideologies to go into law in Ohio.

Who is backing the amendment?

Before the ballot language of the amendment was even approved, more than $23 million in political cash was deposited in the campaign account, mostly from out-of-state and foreign-funded political organizations. This includes the Sixteen-Thirty Fund, the American Civil Liberties Union, and the Tides Foundation.

What is the existing redistricting process?

Ohio voters established a new redistricting process in 2015 that guaranteed those drawing district lines would be accountable to the voters, while ensuring that any past gerrymandering couldn’t impact future district lines.

THE CURRENT SEVEN-PERSON PANEL IS COMPRISED OF:

1. The Ohio Governor (Elected Statewide)
2. The Ohio Secretary of State (Elected Statewide)
3. The Ohio Auditor (Elected Statewide)
4. The Speaker of the Ohio House or their designee
5. The Minority Leader of the Ohio House or their designee
6. The Ohio Senate President or their designee
7. The Minority Leader of the Ohio Senate or their designee

The existing law requires at least two members from each political party to approve the maps drawn. All legislative districts are required to be compact and made of “contiguous territory, and the boundary of each district to be a single non-intersecting continuous line.” The law also forbids districts from favoring or disfavoring either political party.

The existing system ensures that those responsible for drawing district lines have to face the voters, and that if any gerrymandering had previously occurred, it becomes irrelevant since the panel is comprised of statewide elected officials (not affected by gerrymandering), and an equal number of members from the General Assembly from both political parties.

How would Issue 1 change the current redistricting process?

The 2024 Issue 1 creates a whole new level of bureaucracy comprised of completely unelected and unaccountable individuals.

Step 1: Selection of the Legislative Appointees

The Ohio Ballot Board designates FOUR legislative appointees, two from each political party.

Step 2: Creation of the Screening Committee

The FOUR legislative appointees recruit EIGHT retired judges each from their political party (a total of SIXTEEN) to apply to be on the Screening Committee.

The legislative appointees from the OPPOSITE political party then get to choose two of the retired judges to be on the Screening Committee.

Step 3: Creation of the Redistricting Commission

The Screening Committee creates a pool of NINETY people to create a FIFTEEN-person Redistricting Commission comprised of:

• FIVE Republicans
• FIVE Democrats
• FIVE Unaffiliated Voters

Ohio voters have no say in the selection of these commissioners, nor do they have any accountability rights over the commissioners.

Step 4: Hire Staff

The Commission will then hire an Executive Director, a Legal Counsel and “demographers.”

Again, there is no accountability to the voters in this selection.

Step 5: Draw Maps

Next, the Commission must hold FIVE public meetings on the maps before they can be approved.

It takes only 9 of the 15 members of the Commission to approve a map, meaning that a map could be approved with no Republican votes or no Democrat votes. What’s more, if the Commission cannot come to an agreement on a final map, the map shall be chosen through a “random process” amongst proposed maps brought forward by the commissioners.

Step 6: Legal Disputes

If a citizen believes that the maps have been politically or unfairly drawn, the amendment limits the grounds on which a lawsuit can be brought to challenge the maps in court.

Vote NO on Issue 1