Dayton Area Chamber backs State Issue 1

State Issue 1, the proposed constitutional amendment reforming the state's legislative redistricting process, gained the endorsement of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce on Thursday.

The Chamber is among more than 80 organizations supporting the amendment, which has drawn no organized opposition.

"The Dayton Chamber is committed to supporting good governance and responsible leadership and State Issue 1 represents the bipartisan efforts of the Ohio General Assembly to address an issue that has concerned voters in this state for many years," said Stephanie Precht, the chamber's director of Public Policy and Economic Development.

Fair Districts for Ohio is leading the effort to pass the amendment, which was placed on the ballot by Ohio legislators and would take effect when legislators redraw current legislative district boundaries 2021.

The amendment would:

  • Add two legislators - one from each party - to the current five-member redistricting commission made up of the governor, secretary of state, state auditor and one legislator from each party.
  • Make commission meetings open to the public.
  • Set rules to discourage dividing communities into different districts.
  • Require that proposed redistricting maps be presented to the public for review and input.
  • Require at least two votes from each party to approve a plan.
  • Create a process allowing the Ohio Supreme Court to order the commission to redraw the map if it favors one political party

The amendment appears on the Nov. 3 ballot.

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