(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — The Ohio Attorney General’s Office has determined that the language in a second petition summary of a proposed state constitutional amendment that would modify the legislative redistricting process does not meet the requirement of being fair and truthful.
The initiative – titled “An Amendment to Replace the Current Politician-Run Redistricting Process with a Citizen-Led Commission Required to Create Fair State Legislative and Congressional Districts Through a More Open and Independent System” – seeks to amend sections of Articles XI and XIX of the Ohio Constitution and introduce an Article XX.
The redistricting petition summary was originally submitted on Aug. 14, 2023; it was rejected. This second version was submitted on Sept. 5, 2023.
The Attorney General’s role in the petition process as laid out in ORC 3519.01 is to determine whether the language submitted fairly and truthfully summarizes the proposed statute or constitutional amendment. The summary language failed to meet this requirement.
The decision underscores the importance of precise, comprehensive and unbiased summaries to enable voters to make informed decisions. The rejection letter can be accessed here.