Democrats and Labor Get Redistricting Vote on Ohio Ballot

[Judi Lynn]

Democrats and Labor Get Redistricting Vote on Ohio Ballot


By DEAN E. MURPHY
Published: September 7, 2005
The Ohio secretary of state announced yesterday that a series of election-related constitutional amendments had qualified for the November ballot, including one intended to strip Republican elected officials of their control over drawing legislative districts.
The amendments are sponsored by Reform Ohio Now, a coalition dominated by Democrats, unions and watchdog groups. It celebrated the announcement and said a statewide campaign to win approval in November had begun.
(snip)

The State Supreme Court rejected last month a Republican-backed move to disqualify the measures, but a second suit by a former Republican state senator is to be heard tomorrow in an appeals court in Columbus.

The former senator, Richard H. Finan, wants the amendments declared invalid because Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell allowed Reform Ohio Now to use out-of-state signature gatherers.

Mr. Finan has said the redistricting measure, if approved, could cost Republicans in Ohio 6 of their 12 seats in Congress and would probably inspire similar Democratic-backed efforts in other states dominated by Republicans.
(snip/...)

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/07/national/07ohio.html?adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1126165787-71+rjueTHHFrkClUWOAXfQ
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[ArbustoBuster]

1. Huzzah

Mr. Finan has said the redistricting measure, if approved, could cost Republicans in Ohio 6 of their 12 seats in Congress and would probably inspire similar Democratic-backed efforts in other states dominated by Republicans.

Yes! I think I may just have to do a little dance of joy around my office.

[Wabbajack]

2. Finan is trying to scare his base

A Democratic gerrymander probably couldn't get six more seats let alone a fair plan which this amendment would provide for.

[redtapeblues]

3. You got that right

Nevertheless, this is something that I would like to see happen all over the country. Perhaps then we would actually have competitive elections instead of the 97% re-elect rate that we have now.