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Ellen Belcher is the Dayton Daily News opinion pages editor. She writes about state government, education, the environment, higher education and all things Dayton.
Martin Gottlieb is an editorial writer and columnist for the Dayton Daily News opinion pages. He focuses on the political process itself and does such national issues as war, the economy, taxes and Social Security, as well as a hodge-podge of local and state issues.Home > Blogs > A Matter of Opinion > Archives > 2009 > December > 31 > Entry
Jon Husted: Ohio’s hyper-partisan redistricting rules can be changed
(State Sen. Jon Husted, R-Kettering, who wrote this piece, is expected to run for Ohio secretary of state in 2010.)
To most people, this is not a very appealing reform. Rather, it seems like a partisan system that protects the interests of political parties over the wishes of voters. In fact, the above description is not a new reform at all — it is Ohio’s current system.
And it is considered one of the most partisan in the nation.
In the four decades this system has been in place, it has not served Ohio well. It has largely led to one-party control of state government for decades at a time and immunized many legislators from competitive elections.
Further, this system has contributed to the hyper-partisan atmosphere in state government (and in Congress) because the political leaders who run it can serve their partisan interests and arguably have more power in elections than the voters. It doesn’t have to be this way. We can reform the system. The time to act is now.
The Census, followed by the 2010 elections, will once again commence the redrawing of both legislative and congressional districts. Several constitutional amendments to reform the present system have been proposed.
I sponsored one proposal, Senate Joint Resolution 5, which has passed the Ohio Senate and awaits action in the Ohio House.
The reforms in this proposal would create a seven-member, bipartisan board that would require a supermajority vote for the drawing of new districts.
It would require bipartisan compromise for the drawing of legislative and congressional districts, and would limit the ability of map-drawers to gerrymander by including a requirement to keep communities together when drawing district lines.
The deadline for passing this idea is Feb. 3 if it is to be placed on the ballot for consideration by voters in May.
Instead of the current system that serves as a winner-take-all partisan power grab, Ohioans can speak loudly to demand bipartisanship and empower voters at the expense of the politically powerful.
Redistricting reform will return elections to the accountability system they were intended to be. By establishing more competitive districts, voters will be given a greater opportunity to voice their support or displeasure with their elected officials at the ballot box.
With the prominent place Ohio plays in presidential elections every four years, we should set an example for the nation by acting as a leader in redistricting reform.
If we want our public officials to cast aside partisan goals in favor of bipartisan cooperation, we must do more than change the people in public office. We must change the system.
Permalink | Comments (9) | Post your comment | Categories: Elections, Guest Columns, Ohio government, Ohio politics
Comments
By Ajax
December 31, 2009 5:34 PM | Link to this
Why is Hustead worried about the system now? He didnot worry when it was working for him, no he wants to make things right? Vote this clown out, he has done nothing but collected tax payer money while he lives his lavish life outside of the district he represents, this bum truley needs to go. Remember the people is our battle cry and this bum dose not represent any of us, time to remeber is at the polls
By WRG
December 31, 2009 8:48 PM | Link to this
Ajax… I couldn’t have said it any better. How hypocritical of him. Wasn’t it the Republican’ts who drew up the current boundaries so their party couldn’t be voted out of office? Wasn’t it the Republican’ts who split the more liberal Motgomery County in half and added the more conservative Warren County into Ohio’s 3rd district? Where was Husted’s concern then? I guess if the Republican’ts rearrange the hole state for their benefit,it’s OK; but if the Democrats want to try and straighten the Republican’ts mess out, that’s partisan. I for one am tired of the Republican’ts double standards. Time for Husted to go…
By WRG
December 31, 2009 8:49 PM | Link to this
Ajax… I couldn’t have said it any better. How hypocritical of him. Wasn’t it the Republican’ts who drew up the current boundaries so their party couldn’t be voted out of office? Wasn’t it the Republican’ts who split the more liberal Motgomery County in half and added the more conservative Warren County into Ohio’s 3rd district? Where was Husted’s concern then? I guess if the Republican’ts rearrange the hole state for their benefit,it’s OK; but if the Democrats want to try and straighten the Republican’ts mess out, that’s partisan. I for one am tired of the Republican’ts double standards. Time for Husted to go…
By It's up to the voters....
December 31, 2009 8:56 PM | Link to this
…to get rid of this lying bum. Perhaps then he’ll crawl back beneath his rock and and stay forever.
By davidss2
January 1, 2010 2:27 PM | Link to this
REmember the problems with Husted when election comes. That money will flow and the campaign ads and signs and mailers will fill your eyeballs with promises just like Obama’s that are empty. We voted out DeWine for his self-rightousness and lack of interest in real people’s concerns; Husted can be next. I voted for Brown just to get rid of DeWine. Shame to have to do that because it gave us a care-nothing about SW Ohio senator—he votes only liberal with blinders on. But he’ll get his in a few more years too. Husted had a biased Supreme Court spare his hide for lying about his residence: I was done. Relatives owned a house across the street. He never lived there. Rarely showed up to pick up newspapers and ad throws that got added to the pile. He just plain lied. His selfrighteous interest in ruining public schools and supporting charters with his friends from basketball team at UD who owned the three charters that closed down turned me off. Now if I see his kids attending Kettering Schools I might have to change my mind. Grin, not holding my breath—it’s so much nicer around Columbus, that’s why they spend so much more of the state’s money there rather than in the poorer areas where the “ordinary” folk live.
By Joe Lacey
January 2, 2010 3:27 PM | Link to this
When was this in the paper?
By Martin Gottlieb
January 5, 2010 11:12 AM | Link to this
It ran Monday, 1-4.
By dhampton100
January 6, 2010 1:53 PM | Link to this
Jon Husted….the crook who just keeps on giving. He is a disgrace to this county, to this state and he refuses to simply go away and steal from a different venue. In 2010 we should send him away.
By Jay-bird
January 10, 2010 8:13 AM | Link to this
The DEMON”S are out in force Trying to tear down Jon Husted, It won’t work, Your Dear leader’s socialist agenda is Guaranteeing a Conservative Landslide. Run your Mouths now Because in a few months, Judgment Day, Davidss2, is a Demon trying to deceive every one Just like his fake President, His Relatives owned the House across the street, MY A—.David ss2 could make a great living writing Fiction stories.