Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
There is another Issue 2 on the ballot in Ohio
Remember last year when we had to fight to save collective bargaining, the ballot issue was called Issue 2.
Well, the republicans are up to no good again and this time it involves how redistricting is done in the future.
Issue 2 language is still being worked out due to several court cases challenging the confusing language.
The Ohio Ballot Board met Thursday to rework its description of Issue 2.
That would change the process for shaping congressional districts.
The Ohio Supreme Court calls the original ballot language for the redistricting proposal "defective," saying it "misleads voters."
The Court said the state had to come up with a new description of Issue 2.
That sparked a war over words between the members of the Ballot Board.
The Republicans argued the only way to be clear was to put more of the exact wording from the constitutional amendment on the ballot.
"We can either put the complete language or we can do a summary," said Republican Sen. Keith Faber. "But if you do a summary, you have to make sure you don't get it wrong. Well, in this time period, at this crunch, my fear is that if we do a summary, we're going to get it wrong because frankly, I didn't draft the confusing selection process that's in the constitutional amendment."
Including that part added more than a page and doubled the length of the text that will appear on the ballot.
The Supreme Court decision came after Voters First, the group behind Issue 2, sued the Ballot Board.
Organizers say they're still unhappy with the wording.
"It's going to take voters a long time to wade through some of the more technical language in the beginning of the ballot language," said Ann Henkener of Voters First, "and you're going to have to be very persistent and stand in the voting booth for a really long time to get to what the court described as the core of the issue, which is the criteria, which is getting politically-neutral districts."
That would change the process for shaping congressional districts.
The Ohio Supreme Court calls the original ballot language for the redistricting proposal "defective," saying it "misleads voters."
The Court said the state had to come up with a new description of Issue 2.
That sparked a war over words between the members of the Ballot Board.
The Republicans argued the only way to be clear was to put more of the exact wording from the constitutional amendment on the ballot.
"We can either put the complete language or we can do a summary," said Republican Sen. Keith Faber. "But if you do a summary, you have to make sure you don't get it wrong. Well, in this time period, at this crunch, my fear is that if we do a summary, we're going to get it wrong because frankly, I didn't draft the confusing selection process that's in the constitutional amendment."
Including that part added more than a page and doubled the length of the text that will appear on the ballot.
The Supreme Court decision came after Voters First, the group behind Issue 2, sued the Ballot Board.
Organizers say they're still unhappy with the wording.
"It's going to take voters a long time to wade through some of the more technical language in the beginning of the ballot language," said Ann Henkener of Voters First, "and you're going to have to be very persistent and stand in the voting booth for a really long time to get to what the court described as the core of the issue, which is the criteria, which is getting politically-neutral districts."
http://woub.org/2012/09/14/ohio-ballot-board-lengthens-description-issue-2
The republican Secretary of State is not happy about this thing even being on the ballot let alone the challenge that the language has to be clear.
An Ohio Redistricting Amendment, also known as Issue 2, is on the November 6, 2012 ballot in the state of Ohio as an initiated constitutional amendment. The measure would create a 12-person citizen commission to draw legislative and congressional district maps. According to supporters of the measure, the commission would create districts that would reflect the state's geographic, racial, ethnic and political diversity. The initiative would also bar lobbyists and elected officials from joining the commission.
Support
Voters First is the main group in favor of the measure. The organization spearheaded the initiative effort.
According to Catherine Turcer, chair of Voters First, at the time of the signature submission deadline on July 4, 2012, "We're celebrating Independence Day the way that you should. Thinking about our forefathers; thinking about the quality of our vote; thinking about what we as voters can do to actually make a difference."[3]
Opposition
The Cincinnati USA Regional chamber stated, "Oppose Ohio Issue 2, Ohio Redistricting: The Ohio redistricting amendment, if passed, will establish a 12-person citizen commission to draw General Assembly and congressional districts following the decennial census. The Chamber opposes Issue 2 and urges a “no” vote because it removes accountability to voters. If passed, Issue 2 would replace elected officials with an unelected, unaccountable, citizen commission with unlimited funds to redraw congressional and General Assembly district lines, while excluding some Ohioans from serving on the commission."[4]
Voters First is the main group in favor of the measure. The organization spearheaded the initiative effort.
According to Catherine Turcer, chair of Voters First, at the time of the signature submission deadline on July 4, 2012, "We're celebrating Independence Day the way that you should. Thinking about our forefathers; thinking about the quality of our vote; thinking about what we as voters can do to actually make a difference."[3]
Opposition
The Cincinnati USA Regional chamber stated, "Oppose Ohio Issue 2, Ohio Redistricting: The Ohio redistricting amendment, if passed, will establish a 12-person citizen commission to draw General Assembly and congressional districts following the decennial census. The Chamber opposes Issue 2 and urges a “no” vote because it removes accountability to voters. If passed, Issue 2 would replace elected officials with an unelected, unaccountable, citizen commission with unlimited funds to redraw congressional and General Assembly district lines, while excluding some Ohioans from serving on the commission."[4]
http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Ohio_Redistricting_Amendment_(2012)
This is one of those deceiving ballot issues that on the outside sounds like a great deal but in the end, it allows the republican controlled legislature to create a permanent panel to address redistricting. A panel that is not accountable to anyone and whose members cannot be removed for any reason by the way the language is written.
More dirty tricks by the republicans to affect elections that they would not otherwise win.
Cosspost in the Ohio forum http://www.democraticunderground.com/1071355
