By Dawn Scotland
The Truth Reporter
Former Ohio Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor joined the League of Women Voters Lucas County at the University of Toledo in the Lancelot Thompson Student Union on September 4 to register voters and advocate for Issue 1 to end gerrymandering in Ohio.
The Toledo League of Women Voters- Lucas County is an active chapter dedicated to promoting informed and active participation in government. The League hosts this event at the University of Toledo as well as others to engage students and community members in the democratic process by registering them to vote.
The League of Woman Voters has 45 voter registration events scheduled throughout the city from now until Election Day.
Citizens Not Politicians is a grassroots, nonpartisan coalition of Republican, Democratic and Independent Ohio voters and includes nearly 100 organizations, businesses, and thought leaders across Ohio supporting a constitutional amendment that will end gerrymandering in the state.
Former Chief Justice O’Connor, a Republican, emphasized the harmful reality of gerrymandering and the importance of supporting Issue 1 on the November 5th ballot.
“Gerrymandering allows politicians to manipulate district lines to secure their own power, effectively choosing their voters instead of being chosen by them. This practice skews representation, fosters political extremism, and erodes trust in our government,” she stated earlier that day.
“State Issue 1 is our opportunity to end the rigged system that has entrenched politicians in power at the expense of the people they are supposed to serve. This amendment will restore fairness, accountability, and trust in our democratic process,” she said.
O’Connor highlighted the importance of voting to change the challenges we see in our current government and in society. “Voter registration is the foundation of our democracy. It ensures that every voice is heard and every vote truly counts,” O’Connor continued. “Young people, in particular, hold the key to shaping the future of our state. The decisions we make today will impact the Ohio they inherit tomorrow.”
“I want to thank the League of Women Voters for their tireless work in registering voters and for their unwavering support of State Issue 1. Their efforts in gathering over half a million signatures to qualify this amendment for the November ballot are a testament to their dedication to fair representation and democracy,” O’Connor remarked.
The Citizens Not Politicians Amendment aims to:
- Create the 15-member Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission composed of Republican, Democratic, and independent citizens representing the state’s diverse geography and demographics.
- Ban current or former politicians, political party officials, and lobbyists from serving on the commission.
- Require the creation of fair and impartial districts, prohibiting any drawing of voting districts that discriminate against or favor any political party or individual politician.
- Operate under an open and independent process.
For more information, visit www.citizensnotpoliticians.org.
To learn more about The League of Women Voters- Lucas County visit www.lwvtoledo-lucascounty.org.