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During Lawmakers' Recess, the Fight Against Gerrymandering in Ohio Ramps Up

Ohio's congressional district lean heavily toward the GOP
WIKIPEDIA
Ohio's congressional district lean heavily toward the GOP
Ohio's congressional district lean heavily toward the GOP
Credit WIKIPEDIA
/
WIKIPEDIA
The latest Congressional map drawn up by Ohio's GOP Legislature. The red areas are represented by Republicans.

  Pressure to change how Ohio’s congressional maps are drawn continue even during the Legislature’s long recess.WKSU’sM.L.Schultzehas more efforts to force the issue after the Nov. 8 election.

The gerrymandering fight

Two Northeast Ohio lawmakers – Democrat Rep. Kathleen Clyde and Republican Sen. FrankLaRose– will discuss the redistricting bill they’re sponsoring at Case Western Reserve University Thursday night. And other advocates – such as the League of Women Voters – have been pressing the issue all summer, including outside the Republican National Convention last month. SusanMurnaneof the Greater Cleveland chapter says the group has been trying to change gerrymandering for nearly 50 years.

“We have pushed for fair, nonpartisan, common-sense redistricting regardless of who it benefits. At times it has benefited the Democrats, at times it has benefited the Republicans. We don’t care.”

Ohio voters overwhelmingly approved an overhaul last year of how the state House and Senate districts are drawn. Among its key provisions: A seven-member commission that requires the buy-in of at least two members of the minority party before its political maps become law. 

Copyright 2021 WKSU. To see more, visit WKSU.

M.L. Schultze
M.L. Schultze came to WKSU as news director in July 2007 after 25 years at The Repository in Canton, where she was managing editor for nearly a decade. She’s now the digital editor and an award-winning reporter and analyst who has appeared on NPR, Here and Now and the TakeAway, as well as being a regular panelist on Ideas, the WVIZ public television's reporter roundtable.