DEAR EDITOR:

Your Aug. 28 editorial headlined “Don’t be fooled by deceptive ballot language” addressed the attempt by Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose to fool voters by deceptive ballot language and urged readers to read the whole amendment. You omitted the actual amendment language which is at www.citizen

snotpoliticians.org.

LaRose and his Republican colleagues on the Ballot Board are insulting the half million voters who petitioned to place this amendment on the ballot, as well as all voters, by falsely framing it in the summary ballot language as the opposite of what it is.

Your editorial ignored the failure of the current process. During the most recent redistricting cycle, the Ohio Supreme Court, in opinions joined by justices of both parties, ruled 7 times that the districts unconstitutionally violated the anti-gerrymandering provisions that voters passed overwhelmingly in 2015 and 2018. Those amendments left politicians in control of redistricting. Did the politicians respond by drawing fair districts? No. They insulted the voters of 2015 and 2018 and ignored the Court’s rulings and the Ohio Constitution.

The retired Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, a Republican, and a large group of citizens formed the Citizens not Politicians Coalition to remove politicians from the process. This is a fair summary of the amendment:

1. Creates a 15-member Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission of Democratic, Republican and Independent citizens who broadly represent different geographic areas and demographics of the state.

2. Bans current or former politicians, political party officials and lobbyists from membership.

3. Requires fair and impartial districts by making it unconstitutional to draw voting districts that discriminate against or favor any political party or individual politician.

4. Requires the commission to operate under an open and independent process.

In a letter published Sept. 14 headlined “Ohio Issue 1 is not what it claims to be” the writer claims voters are being “scammed.” Her letter itself is a scam. The writer objects to what she calls “a push for equity” as being “insidious” by “making sure all races are represented fairly.” That is the third objective. The primary object is fair districts that reflect the partisan vote in statewide elections. The amendment reads: “Provide that, subject to the [fair representation] criteria, a redistricting plan shall, in the following order of priority; provide for districts with reasonably equal population …, ensure equal functional ability of politically cohesive and geographically proximate racial, ethnic, and language minorities to elect candidates of their choice; and preserve communities of interest to the extent practicable.” Keeping in mind that today’s majority might wind up being a minority in the future, it is sad, anti-democratic and foolish when someone objects to racial, ethnic and language minorities having representation. The letter writer in stating “Democrats sponsoring this bill…” falsely implies that this amendment is a Democratic Party amendment. The Citizens Not Politicians Coalition is nonpartisan.

It seems to me the editors and the letter writer, like the Ballot Board, are trying to sink the amendment so politicians can continue to choose their voters rather than citizens choosing their representatives in races where the results aren’t predetermined. Vote Yes on Issue 1.

RICHARD OSTHEIMER

Youngstown