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Redistricting Issue Backers Admit Uphill Battle Ahead In Getting Voters To Notice the Plan

Karen Kasler, Statehouse News Bureau

Many Ohioans know there’s a marijuana legalization issue on the ballot – but most don’t know there’s an issue to change the way state lawmakers’ districts are drawn.

The backers of the redistricting issue, which is the first issue on the statewide ballot, admit the marijuana legalization issue is getting most of the attention. But Fair Districts for Ohio co-chair Matt Huffman said the group has still raised $300,000, and is starting to spend it.  "We did an initial buy of mailing to high-intensity voters in off-year elections," Huffman said, and added that the group is also "going to make a pretty substantial radio buy here.”

A new poll from the Bliss Institute at the University of Akron shows more than half of voters say they’d vote for Issue 1, but 72% said they’d never heard or read anything about it.

Contact Karen at 614-578-6375 or at kkasler@statehousenews.org.