Toledo Legislators, Equal Districts Coalition Discuss Urgent Need for Fair District Maps

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 18, 2021

Contact:
Rachel Coyle, 419-351-5844, coyle@innovationohio.org

COLUMBUS — Today, the Equal Districts Coalition — a unified group of nearly 30 Ohio advocacy organizations and unions demanding fair maps for Ohio — joined area legislators to discuss the crucial impact of redistricting on the Toledo area.

"Right now, Ohio’s Republican supermajority is trying to gut voting rights, punish peaceful protesters, ban schools from teaching an honest history, and much more. These extreme, harmful policies do not represent the people of Ohio. They are the direct result of rigged, gerrymandered districts. Ohioans demand better," said Desiree Tims, President and CEO of Innovation Ohio.

This year's redistricting process is especially important for the Toledo area. Toledo rests within Ohio's 9th congressional district (known as the “Snake on the Lake”), which is over 100 miles long and one of the most gerrymandered in the state. It was purposefully drawn to pack Democrats in Toledo and Cleveland together in one district, instead of allowing Democrats a chance to win two seats.

“Fair and equal districts are an urgent need for all of Ohio, but especially for Toledo. Our communities have unique needs like improving water quality, advancing racial equity, and instituting commonsense gun reform. We need to ensure that our citizens are genuinely represented at the state and national level. For too long, Republicans have been in charge of dividing our communities and choosing their voters, rather than voters choosing their leaders,” said State Rep. Michael Sheehy (D-Oregon).

The Equal Districts Coalition is fighting for fair representation — maps that accurately represent Ohio voters. Over the last decade, Ohio Republicans have only captured an average of 55% of the vote. This means Republicans shouldn't occupy more than 55% of Ohio's legislative or congressional seats. Additionally, Toledo, Akron, and Dayton (Ohio’s 4th, 5th, and 6th largest cities) should each anchor their own congressional districts. Right now, none of these large cities have their own districts at the congressional level, and they are cracked and packed at the state legislative level. This weakens the power of voters in each community.

“Right now, astoundingly, about 45% of voter voices are being regularly silenced in Ohio. Gerrymandering disregards Ohioans’ political preferences, leaving voters with little choice and little power over who will represent them in government. This should not be a partisan issue. We all deserve the power to vote politicians out of office when necessary. We all deserve the power to elect new, diverse, leadership that truly represents us,” said Senator Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo).

“Representative fairness means that districts are drawn for the state and congressional district so that citizens’  voices are heard and respected,” said State Rep Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo).

Public input will be crucial throughout this process. The Equal District Coalition encourages Ohioans to attend an upcoming public redistricting hearing to tell the redistricting commission how their communities should be mapped.

“This is an opportunity for all Ohioans, who have told us not once but twice that they want fair districts and fair representation. The public meetings in Lima (August 26th at OSU Lima Campus Life Sciences Building, 9:30 am) and Toledo (University of Toledo Libbey Hall, 2:30 pm) are the chance for the public throughout Northwest Ohio to have input on the redrawn maps. Ohioans in 2015 and 2018 overwhelmingly demonstrated that they want fair districts and fair representation,” said State Rep. Lisa Sobecki (D-Toledo).

The Equal Districts Coalition is fighting for fair maps by engaging new, diverse, and traditionally marginalized communities in Ohio's redistricting process. They're lifting up stories from real Ohioans to show how gerrymandering impacts our everyday lives. They're also building a wide ranging coalition, which will hold elected officials accountable to ensure fair maps.

"Our maps need to reflect the true diversity of Ohio. There are almost 2 million Black and brown Ohioans who are too often left disaffected and apathetic about the political process because they don’t see themselves represented. In Toledo, over 27% of the population is Black, and our legislators need to include and uplift their voices when we draw our maps for the next 10 years. With fair maps, we can make sure Toledoans have the fully funded schools, vibrant neighborhoods, excellent public transit, and quality healthcare that they deserve,” said Jeniece Brock, Policy & Advocacy Director of the Ohio Organizing Collaborative and co-chair of the Ohio Citizens' Redistricting Commission (OCRC).

"We look forward to organizing around the redistricting process now that it's more earnestly underway to ensure that the voices of Ohioans are front and center. What we're looking for from this process is transparent map-drawing, maps that protect our communities, and ones that are reflective of our state. We're here for the fair maps that we deserve,” said Katy Shanahan, Ohio State Director for All On The Line.

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The Equal Districts Coalition includes the Ohio State Conference of the NAACP, Ohio Organizing Collaborative, OAPSE/AFSCME, AFSCME Ohio Council 8, the Ohio Environmental Council, Innovation Ohio, the Ohio Student Association, ProgressOhio, All On the Line-Ohio, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, Ohio Council of Churches, NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, URGE – Unite for Reproductive and Gender Equity, LEAD Ohio, the Ohio Women’s Alliance, the Ohio Federation of Teachers, Ohio Education Association, CAIR-Ohio, Campus Vote Project, For Our Future Ohio, Ohio Unity Coalition, Equality Ohio, The Freedom Bloc, and more.