Opponents of a proposed constitutional amendment to reform Ohio’s legislative districting process argue that it would undermine minority representation in both state and federal government. Supporters of the amendment, however, dismiss these claims as misleading tactics aimed at confusing voters.
Representatives from the Black Equity and Redistricting Fund, a political nonprofit not required to disclose its donors, argue that the new districting criteria outlined in state Issue 1—such as compactness, communities of interest, and partisan fairness—would diminish the influence of minority communities in Ohio’s urban areas.
They point to Michigan’s experience, where a 2018 anti-gerrymandering law unintentionally weakened minority representation.