COLUMBUS — Voting rights advocates and a coalition of labor unions are banding together to push an Ohio constitutional amendment that would try to take politics out of how legislative and congressional districts are drawn.

Voters First announced Monday that We Are Ohio, a coalition of labor unions, is joining the petition drive to collect 386,000 valid voter signatures by July 4 to put a constitutional amendment on the November ballot.

Last year, We Are Ohio ran a successful voter referendum to block Senate Bill 5, which called for a significant weakening of collective bargaining rights for public employee unions across Ohio. The group’s involvement could lend foot soldiers and funding to Voters First.

The redistricting reform is one of several issues that may be put before voters this fall. Also vying to make the ballot are two questions about legalizing marijuana for medicinal purposes, a proposal to regulate dog breeders and an amendment to give legal rights to unborn fetuses.

Two other politically charged issue campaigns are shooting to make the 2013 ballot: legalizing gay marriage and banning union membership as a condition of employment.

The redistricting amendment calls for putting an independent citizens’ commission in charge of drawing legislative and congressional districts. Currently, the five-member Apportionment Board draws Ohio’s 99 House and 33 Senate districts and the General Assembly draws the 16 congressional districts.

The party in power following the U.S. Census draws districts to its advantage. This time around the Republicans controlled the process, appearing to cement their advantage in the Statehouse with “safe” seats and creating a new congressional map where only three of the 16 districts are competitive, according to the Ohio Campaign for Accountable Redistricting.

Voters First is backing a plan to create a 12-member Ohio Independent Redistricting Commission, which would be charged with drawing new districts, beginning with the 2014 election. The commission’s districts would be governed by these essential principles: keeping communities whole, competitiveness, and compactness. Politicians and lobbyists would be ineligible to serve on the commission.

“This is the ideal time to put the voters first and take the politicians out of the process,” said Ann Henkener, redistricting specialist for the League of Women Voters of Ohio.

Supporters of the amendment will visit Dayton’s Courthouse Square at 11 a.m. Wednesday to energize local petition-gathering efforts.

House Speaker William Batchelder, R-Medina, is working on a constitutional modernization proposal that he says may include redistricting reform. On a separate track, a redistricting task force established by lawmakers called its first meeting last week.

But Henkener said the General Assembly has been discussing a new redistricting system for years, and nothing ever happens.

“We’re tired of waiting for the legislature to actually make some changes,” she said.

Contact this reporter at (614) 224-1624 or lbischoff @DaytonDailyNews.com.