The proposed redistricting plan voters will see on the statewide ballot in May continues to rack up support. Backers of it says they are optimistic it will pass. But supporters of the ballot issue are not putting all of their eggs in this election’s basket.
The state central committee for the Ohio Republican Party has now voted to endorse Issue 1, which would change rules for drawing Congressional districts. The Ohio Democratic party endorsed the measure last month. And while citizens’ groups backing the proposal are optimistic it will pass, Beth Taggart with the Ohio League of Women Voters says volunteers continue to collect petition signatures to put a similar plan on the ballot in November if necessary.
“We’ve got more than 213,000 right now and we want to make sure redistricting reform is in place,” Taggart said.
If the issue fails in May, backers of redistricting reform will need to submit more than 300,000 valid petition signatures to put their plan before voters this fall.
