Ohio Voters Reject Anti-Gerrymandering Ballot Initiative

The defeat of Issue 1 maintains the current political map-drawing process, dominated by elected officials.

Issue 1, which proposed an independent citizen-led redistricting commission, was defeated with 54% of voters opposing it.
The initiative aimed to curb partisan gerrymandering by establishing a commission composed of equal numbers of Democrats, Republicans, and independents.
Critics accused the Republican-led Ohio Ballot Board of misleading voters with biased language that suggested the measure would promote gerrymandering.
The Ohio Supreme Court, with a conservative majority, upheld the contested ballot description despite opposition from former Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor and reform advocates.
Governor Mike DeWine and other Republican leaders opposed the measure, pledging to propose an alternative redistricting solution, though specifics remain unclear.