A ballot measure that would have established a new body for drawing the state maps in Ohio, removing elected officials entirely, is projected to fail — dealing a blow to Democrats, according to Decision Desk HQ.
The ballot measure would have established an Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission that would have comprised five members of both parties in addition to five independents who have fairly reflected the state.
Text of the proposed amendment also asserts that “to ban partisan gerrymandering and prohibit the use of redistricting plans that favor one political party and disfavor others, the statewide proportion of districts in each redistricting plan that favors each political party shall correspond closely to the statewide partisan preferences of the voters of Ohio.”
The measure would change the current body tasked with redistricting — the Ohio Redistricting Commission that includes two Democratic state lawmakers, two GOP lawmakers, the governor, auditor and secretary of state. The three statewide officials are all Republicans.