[NapRover]

Is this going to be soundly defeated? Removing authority from elected officials and give it to appointees? Increase state government?
NO!

1. Remove the authority of elected representatives and grant new authority to appointed officials to establish congressional and state legislative district lines.
2. Create a state funded commission of appointed officials from a limited pool of applicants to replace the aforementioned. The Commission will consist of 12 members as follows: four affiliated with the largest political party, four affiliated with the second largest political party and four not affiliated with either of the two largest political parties. Affirmative votes of 7 of 12 members are needed to select a plan.
3. Require new legislative and congressional districts be immediately established by the Commission to replace the most recent districts adopted by elected representatives, which districts shall not be challenged except by court order until the next federal decennial census and apportionment. In the event the Commission is not able to determine a plan by October 1, the Ohio Supreme Court would need to adopt a plan from all the plans submitted to the Commission.
4. Change the standards and requirements in the Constitution for drawing legislative and congressional districts.
5. Mandate the General Assembly to appropriate all funds as determined by the Commission including, but not be limited to, compensating:
1. Staff
2. Consultants
3. Legal counsel
4. Commission members
If approved, the amendment will be effective thirty days after the election.
Shall the amendment be approved?

[skyvue]

I think it will be defeated badly simply because most people will not even understand it and thus vote against it. Though I really had no strong opinion either way. I see no big difference in a committee doing this than elected officials who will skew it for the party currently in charge. I can see both sides of the argument.

I voted against it just because it would be more "government" which is against my mostly Libertarian views. If they would make the committee members be voluntary (unpaid) members, then I think I would perhaps like it better than the status quo.

[o.a.b.]

The idea is to imitate PUCO.I'll agree with you though,you can't clean up government with another layer of paint.Time to get out the scrapers first.This issue WILL go down soundly---yes even " liberals " recognize a faulty plan.NOW,let's see which party is responsible enough to leave re-districting alone.I know where I'm putting my money.

[Wingman3]

Originally Posted by o.a.b.

The idea is to imitate PUCO.I'll agree with you though,you can't clean up government with another layer of paint.Time to get out the scrapers first.This issue WILL go down soundly---yes even " liberals " recognize a faulty plan.NOW,let's see which party is responsible enough to leave re-districting alone.I know where I'm putting my money.

I'd guess it would have been basically left alone had we not lost 2 electoral votes. How many times were there large shifts like we saw this year when we had the additional districts?

[buckeyedan]

I am voting against it because it has 4 republicans 4 democrats and 4 independents... and all you folks keep telling me there are no independents! :)

[fish82]

LOL. Dems so butthurt because they didn't get to draw the lines this round. Elections have consequences, kids.

/Uncle Fish's Friday Civics Lesson. :D

[HistoryBuff]

First of all, as someone who has studied elections and history, I say that some type of change is needed and has been needed for decades. But this proposal IS NOT the solution. It is very badly set up and sets up even another government entity to interfere. The set up will also lead to corruption just like we have now. I am voting no because it is a terrible piece of legislation when there are better solutions.

But let's also look at History....
"gerrymandering" of districts has been going on for hundreds of years. It actually dates back to the days of Adams, Jefferson, etc.

In the late 60s, 70's and early 80's, Vern Riffe, a Democrat, was speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives. One of his nicknames was "Captain Gerrymander" because the Congressional and Statehouse district maps that came out of his legislature were just as bad as what we have now. Funny, how Republicans were demanding something be done to "fairly draw" the districts back then and Democrats said the system was fine. Now the shoe is on the other foot.

I find the hypocritcal nature of BOTH parties with this issue currently to be quite funny....

[IndianFan]

Funny how politicians think that all they have to do is "gerrymander the vote" to stay in power. They should try representing the people... It's much easier!