Public Comment

This issue has been dragged through all sorts of time and phases we must pass fair congressional districting of equal justice and fairness for all and any Ohio citizen.
Cut the districts fairly like any mother or grandmother or caretaker would do for every beloved child. No more, no less.

The intent of the people of Ohio is clear: fair districts where every citizen's vote counts equally. Shame on the commission for ignoring the demands of Ohio citizens and pushing yet another gerrymandered map. Respect Ohio citizens and Ohio democracy by designing fair districts!

The commission members and politicians who conspired to gerrymander our Ohio District maps to benefit their own party should be ashamed of themselves. I feel voting is the most powerful voice I have to express my opinions and improve my local community. I will be watching to be sure my vote is not diluted.

Politicians used their slight majority as a club to turn a historically purple state into a guaranteed red one for a decade with their ruthless gerrymandering in 2010. Sad that it took a Supreme Court ruling to force this party to be ethical & fair. We are watching.

Districts should be COMPETITIVE. Mine is so seriously gerrymandered that it is practically impossible to elect a democrat, leading some to think "why bother?" when it is time to vote. These unfair district maps just lead to poor turnouts on election day.

A true representative of the whole of the voters of Ohio will support fair district maps. Gerrymandering serves only self-centered political goals. Stand up for all our votes. We are watching.

Ohio voters made it very clear: we want an end to gerrymandering. Now it is your job " again " to create a map that represents fair redistricting of our state. Now is the time to show Ohioans, and the rest of the country (who are also watching you), that you believe in the democratic process and the right for every voice to be heard.

I believe that Ohioans have voted and made it perfectly clear that we want fair district. Ohio has been identified as the most corrupt legislature of 50 states, which is an embarrassment, so let us start to beginning to change and starting here couldn't be a better place, no more Jim Crow laws in Ohio!

We are stilling paying attention, and we demand FAIR MAPS. How many times must we vote and testify and comment before Republicans listen? All of you should lose your jobs for reusing to follow the law and the will of voters. We demand FAIR MAPS now!

I am urging the Commission to draw maps that are fair to all citizens in the state and to be mindful to follow the law
as the court has outlined and as required by our Constitution. It is your duty to all citizens of our state to create districts representative of all.

All I want is for districts to be fair. I know that means that my party may lose sometimes, but that's the nature of politics in a free and open society. We have to be willing to meet each other there we are, to support difference, to seek understand, and yes, admit when we've lost so we can try again another day. Please redistrict with fairness in mind.

Why is it not against the law to only draw a map that suits your party? This is not fair representation of our state. You are supposed to represent all people of the state in truth. Disgusting display of manipulating these maps. You need to do what is actually right or you should be held accountable.

When I voted to amend the OH Constitution to prohibit gerrymandered power grabs by any political party, I expected politicians to put their duty to uphold the constitution ahead of their own personal interests - without having to compel them to act properly. Now that the OH Supreme Ct has ordered compliance, I expect and demand OH politicians to do the right thing and draw balanced maps that a) reflect the political proportionality dictated by the Court and b) do not unfairly split voting districts to give a party an unjustified, unconstitutional advantage.

hello, one of the most important rights/privileges of living in a democracy is voting which i have done for over 50 yrs. why are you Politically redistricting! and disenfranchising voters. please 'do the right thing' and fairly redistrict-my vote must count. vida habjan

Commissioners,
You will preserve democracy if you make fair maps. You will destroy democracy if you do not. You are determiners of the future of America!

Ohio voters passed an anti gerrymandering law. We expect it to be followed when New voting districts are formed. The correct maps would not have gerrymandered safe districts with split urban districts to dilute urban votes. We Ohioans want a fair map drawn.

We are watching. The Ohio Supreme Court has been very clear that they won't tolerate further attempts to gerrymander in favor of Republicans. If you don't comply, you risk being held in criminal contempt.

I have submitted testimony multiple times regarding Ohio's redistricting process. I have been continually disappointed by the actions of the Republican committee members and their attempts to pass extremely gerrymandered state legislative maps. Many groups including Stanford University submitted example maps proving that Ohio districts can be drawn that meet the criteria laid out in the Ohio constitution. These maps should reflect the voting patterns of the last ten years, which equals out to be 54% Republican and 46% Democrat.
What I want to see going forward are maps with at least 45 Democratic House seats and 15 Democratic Senate seats. I want to see maps that keep major metropolitan areas together instead of cracking and packing them. I want to see maps that empower communities of color instead of diluting their power. For example, I live in Greene County, and all of our major cities are together, except Yellow Springs, which is cut out of our district and put into another one. Th

Ohio voters made it clear no more gerrymandering! We are watching and we expect fair districts.

I am glad there has been given time for this reset by the Ohio Supreme Court. We as Ohio voters voted against partisan gerrymandering. Our voices should have been heard and followed.. There should be fair representation in Ohio without question. It says something when a party thinks it can only win if it, in essence, elbows out the other side. This time around lines should be drawn fairly. I fear for our democracy!!

Fair voting districts are of the utmost importance in the state of Ohio and elsewhere. Please continue to work together to make this happen. The voters of our state are counting on you to do the job well so that every person's vote is of equal value. This way our elected government might truly represent the will of its citizens.

The Ohio voters voted for fair district maps, and the redistricting commission should abide by the voters' wishes.

Any act of manipulation or disruption of the votes in any state of this union is adding to the deterioration of this democracy. At no time should a minority of citizens govern the majority of the citizens or clearly our democracy is dead.

Another example of why I continue to fear for our democracy. The voters pass an anti gerrymandering ammendment, and the Republicans on the committee thought following it was optional. Is the rule of law optional? This stinks of corruption where the ones making the rules do so in bad faith to benefit themselves and concentrate power.

Commission members, do yourselves and all Ohioans a favor and chose one of the award-winning citizen maps. You have wasted time and money creating your unfair maps. You clearly don't have the skills for this job, and with larceny in your hearts, you are not to be trusted. Give it up and spare all of us the drama!!

No Gerymandering to favor one party over the other. Don't we tell our children not to cheat. OK, don't cheat.

We need fair, non partisan districts that allow the majority to choose their representatives

I am truly concerned about the redistricting. We are a democracy. Only if everyone's vote really counts can we actually be a democracy. A balanced redistricting is essential for this to happen. The previous redistricting plan that was submitted was totally out of line. Please draw one that reflects our population.

Don't DeRolf this. Voters voted. The constitution was amended and you owe us fair districts. Republicans continue to show their bad faith, but you must, for once, show good faith and ensure faith in our democratic process. When that goes, we're in huge trouble.

It is your sworn duty to uphold the constitution, and to that effect create districts that represent the makeup of Ohio.
You should not be taking away my vote by twisting voting districts into pretzels to favor your party. It is morally wrong and it violates your oath of office. Have some honor and dignity and fulfill your office as you were "elected" to do. Put you country before party.

Our voices in Dublin have been intentionally silenced for a decade by cracking us with rural counties. Republican partisan goals split our streets denying our community representation. Maps that put Dublin with Pickaway County are more of the same cracking. Fair Maps don't split Dublin into 3 or 4 districts.¨ Unite Dublin so statehouse districts reflect our neighborhoods & community where we live, play and work. The Dem Franklin reply maps put Dublin Franklin and Union Counties together, so did the maps passed last fall. Put community unity first, because it's the right thing.

Nowhere has this issue been more evident than in rural Appalachian Ohio. I live in the former coal region in southern Perry County with very low wealth communities represented in Congress by wealthy suburban Columbus politicians. Neighboring Athens County is split into multiple districts, as are our cities, attempting to keep Democrats out of office and assuring power is centralized with a one party government. This is not democracy, and this threatens the future of our country. Fairness must be first, followed by creating districts that are created by logical regional boundaries...urban, suburban, farm country, hill country, river valleys, school athletic conferences, etc.

Gerrymandering leads to lack of representation for communities and demographics that are targeted to be broken up or otherwise weakened. This is intolerable in the U.S. It is imperative that fair and impartial districts be drawn, not the ridiculous puzzle-piece districts intended to disenfranchise certain groups of voters! Listen to the Ohio Supreme Court, and use scientifically-justifiable methods for drawing fair and representative districts. For example, a state-wide or national candidate should win a percentage of the vote (using districts) approximately equal to the percentage of the popular vote in the state for that candidate.

EVERY CITIZEN has the right to be heard and have their vote count equally to everyone else's. Zoning that bundles the VOTES of the poor, the underprivileged, or people of a certain race together is wrong and should NOT BE ACCEPTED. Legislation attempting to do so should be thrown out. Any attempt at creating laws to make it difficult for ANY CITIZEN to cast their vote should NOT BE ACCEPTED. Anything done to cause voters to have to wait in long lines, or travel to unfamiliar areas, or be unable
to vote by mail is wrong and should NOT BE ACCEPTED. Voting is a right, and making it more difficult to vote for ANY AMERICAN is wrong, whether that person is poor, rich, old, young, black, brown, white, or whatever, or born in another country but now an American. We need ALL Americans voices to be heard, and we should make it easier to vote, not harder. To demean or make difficult the ability to vote is to erode democracy and to cause democracy to DIE A DEATH OF A THOUSAND CUTS.

Thank you very much for making it easy for citizens to comment on the process for developing new district maps in Ohio. I am so happy that the first set of three unfair maps were rejected by the Supreme Court. It is now time for the Commission to at last develop maps that are fair to both parties and to the citizens of the state. We voted for this fairness twice in recent years, and, if we do not get fair districts, I will contribute again to another lawsuit.

I'm getting sick and tired of unfair districts. There are too many Pro-Trump people running for government positions and only gerrymandering allows people like them to win and subvert our entire democracy. We need to act now or America is lost forever.

Please follow the constitution and adopt fair maps. There are multiple maps that have been judged to abide by the requirements of the constitutional amendments that the people of Ohio voted for and became law. It has been done so there is no excuse that it cannot.
Fair elections are the bedrock of our democracy. I fervently ask that you put your state, country and democracy above your party and quest for power.

We want FAIR Maps

The thing is Republicans don't want a fair map because they lose over and over. All these attempts to subvert democracy. It's shameful.

The people of Ohio deserve fair representation that reflects statewide voting patterns. We have lived with gerrymandered districts for more than a decade, and twice the voters have passed reforms to create a fairer process for redistricting. Every vote should count. The Ohio Redistricting Commission has an obligation to work in a transparent, bipartisan manner to honor the ban on drawing maps that disproportionately favor one political party. Please carry out this responsibility in good faith.

Enough is enough! The people of Ohio voted for fair maps. You violated the people's voice as proved by the rule of law. Respect the will of the people! Produce fair representation to ALL Ohioans NOW! Voters are watching closely. Do the right thing. Enough is enough!

What would you do with ten people that were given a task to agree on a picture of a circle and their task was to use five colors to fill a circle. In the circle All five sections had to be of equal shape and volume and their width at middle had to be equal to all the others. They were given two months to accomplish this. What would you do if these ten highly paid adults did not accomplish this task. This is something five children could do. If your entire state depended on you to complete this task, How could you fail? Right?

What would you do with ten people that were given a task to agree on a picture of a circle and their task was to use five colors to fill a circle. In the circle All five sections had to be of equal shape and volume and their width at middle had to be equal to all the others. They were given two months to accomplish this. What would you do if these ten highly paid adults did not accomplish this task. This is something five children could do. If your entire state depended on you to complete this task, How could you fail? Right?

I am excited and encouraged that the Ohio Supreme Court has provided this commission with a second chance to deliver a set of district maps which meet the expectations of Ohio voters. Bipartisan groups and a super majority of voters amended our constitution only a few years ago, to require fair districts. I encourage all politicians and political groups to compete on the value of our ideas to progress our State and our democracy.

Please do your duty to serve the people of the state of Ohio. Stop gerrymandering. Do not place politics above people. We demand fair maps!

We are so divided. We ... you and I ...know the maps presented earlier were not fair. All across the country lines are drawn so that there are advantages- what votes can I get? How can l win?

Please do not do this again. It wastes time and money. It destroys voter confidence.
It kills hope. It violates the very principles upon which this country was built - freedom, fairness, faith, fellowship. We are all brothers and sisters. In God we trust. To God we pray. With God, there is the law of abundance. We need not steal. We need not kill. We shall not destroy what God has given us.

When you draw up out new maps, be fair.
Be Fair.

Dr. Regina Vincent-Williams

Could we please consider showing some integrity and setting a positive example for the rest of our country? It's long past time for our votes to actually matter rather than being effectively silenced by extreme gerrymandering. Perhaps we could have districts that actually have normal shapes instead of the twisted, distorted messes the last decade's and most recent proposals have been? And finally, maps that will have broad acceptance as being quality products instead of "well, it's probably unconstitutional but I'm voting for it anyway..."?
This is important for our State and our Country - Thanks.
Steve Bagstad

We want fair maps

As an elected representative in our democratic government, you have a sacred duty to the citizens who entrusted you to carry out their will. This obligation supersedes any loyalty to a political party. The people who elected you to office made it abundantly clear by a huge majority that they demanded fair elections. It is your solemn responsibility to ensure that Ohio has representative government and fair districts. You must protect the will of the people. You must protect our democracy. We ARE watching; and we WILL be voting.

It is shameful that the Ohio Redistricting Commission is thumbing its Republican nose at the overwhelming proportion of Ohio voters " of BOTH parties " who expect the clearly expressed will of the people to be honored by creation of FAIR DISTRICTS. There is no excuse for craven political lust for power to trample upon voters' clear desire for electoral districts that do not advantage one party over another. Is integrity too much to ask of Ohio leaders?

Please redraw the maps so they accurately represent the people of Ohio. We've lived too long with gerrymandered maps with strange shapes that divide communities or lump them together in ways that don't make sense!

The people of Ohio voted for fair districts twice. This commission failed the people of Ohio once and it now has a 2nd chance. The process must be transparent and generate maps that reflect the voting patterns of Ohioans at the national and state level. You have an obligation to do just that. Please do not fail us again.

Please make map's that are for the voting people of Ohio, not to the interest of the party in control. This winning at any cost is very sad

Show the country that Ohio politicians can lead the way to an objective, rational redrawing of district boundaries. Our democracy is at stake.

Seems quite difficult to obtain simply "Fair Maps of Districts in Ohio" caused by politics. Grateful for Ohio Supreme Court decision instruction to redo. So just "do it"! Fair District Maps are deserved!!!

The commission now has a second chance to develop better maps that reflect the composition of Ohio's voters. The commission completely ignored this. As an Ohio resident, I want fair districts that aren't gerrymandered for Republicans to have a lock on state offices for decades. Let's play fair and let the voters have a say in their government.

As a voting citizen, I demand that our right to have our votes counted equally will focus the commissioners' minds on drawing the fair maps required by the Ohio Constitution. We are still paying attention!

Please demonstrate that you wish to serve the people of Ohio rather than some other interest. Produce fair redistricting maps. The people have spoken. Ohioans want fair maps. Your integrity is at stake.

Ohioans have voted to end gerrymandering and we deserve fair maps that will allow all our voices are heard. The Ohio Supreme Court has spoken, as well. The people of Ohio must have valid and fair maps. Thank you.

As an elected representative in our democratic government, you have a sacred duty to the citizens who entrusted you to carry out their will. This obligation supersedes any loyalty to a political party.
Do your duty. The people who elected you to office made it abundantly clear by a huge majority that they demanded fair elections. It is your solemn responsibility to ensure that Ohio has fair districts. You must protect the will of the people. You must protect our democracy.

Republicans can win in this state without gerrymandering, why run up the score this much? Its hollowing out the party.
Its removing all accountability. Look at Householder. Look at Trump.
You're winning, but you're throwing away all your values to do so.

In the words of Woody Hayes,
"anything easy, ain't worth a damn."

Ohio citizens have a guaranteed right for fair maps and you have an obligation to make that happen. Please know we are watching!
A fair districting map must reflect the electorate in order to represent the people within it. They must be proportional to the voters of each party.

Fair redistricting maps. Law and order followed by the law and order party -the one I voted for my entire voting life as did my parents for most of the past century- May they RIP. Have often wondered what they would have thought about the past few years and now this? Come on!

Play fair. on your big boy and girl pants and read All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten as follows is an excerpt:

Most of what I really need
To know about how to live
And what to do and how to be
I learned in kindergarten.
Wisdom was not at the top
Of the graduate school mountain,
But there in the sandpile at Sunday school

These are the things I learned:

Share everything.
****Play fair. ****

There's more but please act more like kindergarteners.

I was extremely disappointed in the re-districting plan that was approved by the legislature and Governor DeWine. I expected fairness from my representative, Speaker Cupp. Fix the mess that you created. Ohio is close to evenly divided between the 2 parties. Allow the map to reflect this split.

End gerrymandering and create fair maps for Ohio. Please follow the will of the citizens of Ohio and create maps that the citizens of Ohio have demanded.

Stop gerrymandering. Don't divide city populations so they are in rural districts. City residents have different interests. Don't dilute them.

I proposed a map that would be very fair, I think you should enact it. Here is a link to it: https://davesredistricting.org/join/08fdc036-6bf5-4855-a043-aa19ed7e21f5

Here's another map I made: https://davesredistricting.org/join/682a0183-127f-4da1-b991-dc85e7872db8

Both maps have very high proportionality ratings and mostly pretty high ratings on other metrics like compactness and splitting.

The voters of Ohio made clear that they want fair maps. You have been given good representative proposals. Please do the right thing and approve an equitable map.

Ohio citizens have made it clear what is expected for redistricting in this state. We have a guaranteed right for fair maps and you have an obligation to make that happen. Please know we are watching!

If you, in the government, want to predetermine election results in America the way totalitarian regimes do elsewhere, that is on you. Do the right thing. Draw fair, demographically representative maps based on expert advice. Don't give us another Snake on the Lake.

I want fair districts no more gerry mandering from either party. Unless maps are fair you are denying the people of Ohio fair representation. Fair maps are constitutionally mandated.

How can we trust our politicians when they ignore the will of the people to have fair maps? Let's get back to the Constitution and do the right thing!

Please re-draw the maps so that all districts can be in play regardless of political party affiliations. I firmly believe that people will vote for the candidates who deliver the best hope or promise for them. Unless maps are fair, you are denying people this meaningful vote.
You are all elected to SERVE us.
Thank you.

Ohio citizens have made it clear what is expected for redistricting in this state. We have a guaranteed right for fair maps and you have an obligation to make that happen. Please know we are watching!

A fair districting map must reflect the electorate in order to represent the people within it. They must be proportional to the voters of each party.

Do the right thing, fulfill your constitutional responsibilities.

Our Democracy depends on free and fair elections. The flagrant and abusive use of voter suppression tactics, by subverting the will of the voters through unfair and illegally manipulated maps, must and will cease. We the voters of Ohio are paying very close attention to the games being played with our right to vote by the current majority party. If the current majority party cannot win, except by cheating through illegal district map manipulation, then they are not deserving of the power we the people give to OUR representatives. They are not truly representative of the will of the true majority.

Well, you have another opportunity to do the right thing here. We are paying attention and demand fair maps for fair representation! You failed to do that last time and we are counting on you to do the right thing THIS time. Gerrymandered districts have no place in the State of Ohio and you need to set up bi-partisan districts that represent ACTUAL neighborhoods instead of drawing made up lines across multi counties to keep awful humans like Jim Jordan in Congress. Stop playing partisan games. When you have to make up ridiculous districts so that certain people get re-elected, that person probably doesn't deserve it.

Please put aside partisan inclinations, and satisfy the provisions of our constitution.

Harvard proposed and submitted thousands of fair redistricting maps which were dismissed by the committee in favor of drawing their own gerrymandered ones, blatantly denying their constituents demand for fair maps voted upon in 2015 and then again in 2018. If our legislature chooses not to represent us then it is time to take our voices to the ballot box.

Ohioans have a constitutionally guaranteed right to fair and equal representation that was violated with the previous maps.
We should be able to trust our elected officials to respect these rights.
Please present maps with fair representation and move Ohio forward.

We are tired of being disenfranchised by this current gerrymandered one-party system! Our voices matter, yet they are never heard. We want fair election districts now! Are you really incapable of understanding our point of view? Try, do the right thing and bring some fairness back into our elections!

The people of Ohio made clear what they expected for Ohio redistricting, and the will of the people has been ignored by the commission. We are watching what happens, and we will work to see that the people's will is not ignored!

My whole family is watching. Please do the right thing.

Reynoldsburg must be split along county lines, but further splitting it within a county - as is the case with rejected House Districts 68 and 69 - is unnecessary, prevents the community from voting as a bloc, and serves no purpose other than to disfavor the Democratic Party and its voters. Reynoldsburg must be kept together in single districts within each of its constituent counties.

Fair maps for fair representation, please! We're counting on you.

I am paying attention and demand fair maps!

We citizens have a constitutionally guaranteed right to fair and equal representation that was violated with the previous maps. We expect fair and open map. Do your job!

Please stop splitting my county to connect me with areas that are nowhere close to me. The fact that friends living 10 minutes east have a different representative looks intentional and set to be gerrymandered. Please set up bi-partisan considerations that represent true neighborhoods instead of drawing made up lines that do not have similar goals or outcomes.

Please do the right thing and create fair maps as promised. We are watching and are not fooled by your lies.

Please do the right thing and create fair maps as promised. We are watching and are not fooled by your lies.

Draw fair maps as required by the Ohio Constitution.

I am proud of the citizens of Ohio for speaking out, for voting, for fighting for what is fair and just. Ohioans deserve fair maps, we deserve to have our votes count. Voters should choose their politicians, not the other way around. Follow the will of the people, do right and draw a fair map for Ohio.

Gerrymandering is the root of all the dysfunctions of our state government today! It leads to legislators who are farther and farther left or right, and who have no incentive to compromise or even talk to those of the other party, let alone listen to us, the voters. It is behind the contempt which so many of us feel for the "elected" officials who supposedly represent us.

As noted by the Ohio Supreme Court, your first attempt at redistricting was pathetic and lacked any semblance of fairness. I concur with Jen Miller, the executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio. She stated, "We call on the Ohio General Assembly to finally put voters first, rather than their short-sighted and selfish political interests." Put aside your short-sighted and selfish political interests. Represent all of your constituents in a fair manner. Do not continue to be an embarrassment to our state.

We the people of Ohio voted to have fair elections with fair districts with NO gerrymandering. You have the responsibility to do what is right for all the citizens of this state not just for the benefit of one party staying in power. Let the voters determine whether the policies of a party are worth supporting with their votes on a fair and even playing field. I ask you to do what "we the people" voted to have, fair districts for the whole state of Ohio. Thank you.

I expect Fair Maps at the end of this process. Please do not let us down as we have waited and worked hard for this.

It's not only fair but it's the commission's constitutional duty to carefully equate the districts to secure proper
representation. The voters said so twice. Now it's time to execute the decisions of the people. What could be clearer.

As an ex-Republican, a person who left the party because of exactly the shameful and shady shenanigans that's going on here, let me say that you all should be ashamed to have put together a map so counter to the expressed will of the people of Ohio. When will the Republican party again be a party of values and honor? Why not try today by doing the job the people of Ohio set before you?

Fair Maps for Ohio! This is what Ohio voters voted for.

To the Republican members of the Commission: This is your job. Put Democracy above Party.
We are watching and taking note.