COLUMBUS, Ohio — Discussions are said to be taking place among Ohio lawmakers about proposing their own amendment regarding the state’s redistricting commission.

What You Need To Know

  • Aug. 7 is the deadline to file or certify measures with the Ohio Secretary of State's office to be included on the November ballot

  • The group Citizens Not Politicians secured enough valid signatures and received approval this week to be included on the ballot

  • Constitutional law experts say the governor would have to call a special session for state lawmakers to approve their own redistricting measure, in order for it to also go before voters

Constitutional law experts say this measure would likely counter the citizen-initiated proposal that’s already approved for November’s ballot and aim to keep the redistricting process in politicians’ hands.

For the proposal to be presented to voters at the polls, it would need to receive 60% of votes in both the Ohio House and Senate. Since the legislature is on break, that means the governor would have to call a special session.

“Almost certainly the Democrats would oppose any such measure,” said Case Western Reserve University Law Professor Jonathan Entin. “So the question would be, are the Republicans sufficiently united to get that supermajority?”

Entin said if two conflicting amendments are on the ballot, the one that gets the higher percentage of votes would prevail.

In order for lawmakers to get a measure on the ballot in November, it would have to be filed with the secretary of state’s office by Aug. 7.

Related Stories