Language confirmed for Issue 1, the proposed redistricting amendment

COLUMBUS, Ohio ( WCMH ) — After a two-hour long meeting, the Ohio Ballot Board approved language for Issue 1, the sole statewide initiative that will be on the ballot this November.

Issue 1 is a proposed constitutional amendment to give citizens, instead of politicians, the power of the pen when it comes to redistricting . The final step before being put on the ballot is for the Ohio Ballot Board to assign the language voters will see. The group behind it suggested a five-bullet ballot language, less than one page, to summarize the 31-page amendment.

“There is no way that those five bullets can identify the substance of a 13,000-word amendment,” LaRose said.

But the Secretary of State’s office wrote three pages of a summary, which was ultimately adopted and as of now will be on ballots as written.

“My proposed language is not disingenuous, which would mean dishonest,” Secretary of State Frank LaRose (R-Ohio) said. “It is what I genuinely believe to be our best effort to faithfully summarize, truthfully summarize, a very long amendment for the voters to consider.”

“This is a last-ditch effort for those who have always had to cling to what they had,” Representative Terrence Upchurch (D-Cleveland) said. “There’s going to be a big change coming in November. Like I said a day of reckoning is forthcoming and they know it.”

For example — the first line voters will see at the ballot box says, “the proposed constitutional amendment would repeal constitutional protections against gerrymandering.”

“We want to give them faithful and, truthful, ballot language so that they can make their best decision this November,” LaRose said.

The board also amended a portion of it to read establish a new taxpayer-funded commission of appointees “required to gerrymander,” originally the text said “ required to manipulate. ”

“This final language that was adopted is dishonest, it is a lie, it is a fraud to voters,” Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) said. Now backers of the amendment said they will be taking the issue to the Ohio Supreme court for “immediate remedy.”

They said they will be filing their argument sometime next week, which means changes to the currently adopted language could come.

“I would describe the language as a farce of Shakespearean proportion,” attorney for Citizens not Politicians Don McTigue said.

On Monday, arguments from each side of the issue will also be turned in and available to voters to read online before going to the polls or in-person when they are at the polls.

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