“The Ohio Education Association celebrates the courage of the four State Supreme Court justices who have demonstrated their steadfast commitment to upholding the law and defending the will of the people. Ohio voters have spoken and have overwhelmingly demanded fair maps to ensure they will finally have a real voice in the Statehouse. It’s clear the state’s highest court will not let that voice be ignored any longer.
The Redistricting Commission reminds me of students I’ve had at times who spend more time creatively cheating than doing their work. Like those students, if the Redistricting Commission had put as much time into actually following the instructions of the Constitution as they did into coming up with creative ways of sidestepping the rules, they would have passed with flying colors. Moreover, if they had put as much work into following the will of the people rather than trying to get around the will of the people, we’d all have the maps we deserve.
The Commission members must understand that Ohioans have a constitutional right to choose their politicians, not the other way around, and Ohio’s broken mapmaking process must finally come to an end.
OEA looks forward to seeing the Commission’s third attempt at district maps and continues to put its faith in the State Supreme Court to ensure Ohio finally has fair maps if the Commission again fails to deliver on that promise.”