Why is “Issue 1” confusing Ohio voters when they receive their ballot?

CLEVELAND, Ohio (VOIO) – Question 1, the anti-gerrymandering measure on the 2024 ballot, has received a lot of voter criticism by the way it is presented during voting.

The measure would replace the current seven-politician redistricting committee (which includes two Democrats and five Republicans) with a 15-member redistricting board.

This council will include all non-politicians (five Republicans, five Democrats and five independents). Any new political map for Ohio would then be determined by this group.

The new redistricting commission would be “broadly representative of the state’s diverse geographic areas and demographics” and would require “fair and impartial political districts.”

Question 1 is the answer to previous efforts to map the electionswhich revealed seven unconstitutional maps created by the current redistricting commission.

Every time the Ohio Supreme Court said they were too rigged before the eighth and final card was deemed acceptable, ending a months-long saga.

The language a voter will see on their ballot for Question 1 runs nearly two pages explaining the measure, written by the Ohio Board of Elections (filled by two Democrats, two Republicans and (from the right) Secretary of State Frank LaRose). This is very different from what the full amendment to Issue 1 says.

The group Citizens Not Politicians, which created Issue 1, asked the Ohio Supreme Court to rewrite the language, arguing that it was misleading and did not provide a “clear and precise statement” of the amendment as required by Ohio law. Constitution.

The Supreme Court agreed to minor changes, but most of the language will remain the same.

The decision passed, with all of the Republican justices (4) saying the language should stay and the Democratic justices (3) saying it should be changed.

Case Western Reserve University law professor Jonathan Entin said he believes the language on the ballot does not provide a neutral view of the issue itself, almost encouraging voters to vote “no.”

“If people rely solely on the language of the ballot, they will see something that contradicts the first question,” Entin said.

Entin says the reason this language is not taken directly from the written amendment is because of its length. It’s simply not practical to put the entire 17-page amendment on the ballot, so condensing it is necessary. On the other hand, it still requires a detailed explanation due to its complexity.

“To begin with, this is a fairly complex measure,” said Professor Entin. “So it’s impossible to create one 200-word paragraph and cover everything that’s there.”

Secretary of State LaRose’s office says the language on the ballot is accurate, prompting confused voters to review the full amendment before voting, which can be done at your polling place.

“The summary approved by the ballot committee is fair, factual, and has been upheld by the Ohio Supreme Court. It precisely defines the essence of the proposed amendment. Ohio voters can find the ballot language, the full text of the amendment, and the official arguments for and against the amendment by visiting our website at: OhioSOS.gov The full version of the amendment is also posted at polling stations in all 88 counties.”

Professor Entin agrees, saying voting should never be the first impression of voting.

“I think people shouldn’t rely on the language on the ballot,” Entin said. “Because language really encourages people to vote no.”

While ballot language may cause confusion, 19 News’ election coverage will continue to provide clarity through Nov. 5.