Some of those who offered comments compared to the redistricting process ten years ago when maps were drawn behind closed doors in a Columbus hotel room.
They said the reforms passed by voters in 2015 were supposed to bring more accountability and transparency to the process.
“I suppose the cheating out in the open is a slight improvement over the secretive cheating used in 2011 to create our current district maps,” said Melissa Sull, Gahanna.
While Andrea Yagoda, Columbus, told the commission, “You are not going to silence me for the next 10 years. I have had enough. Ohioans have had enough. We did not vote for this. We all worked hoping that you would act in good faith and do what the voters want you to do. This is not what we voted for.”
Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima) said the mapmakers on his staff were instructed to not take racial and demographics data into consideration.
“It’s illegal to use race in drawing districts. That’s a violation of federal law. Now, there’s a mention of the Voting Rights Act. If the government sees that there’s a compelling state interest based on evidence presented, to do that. But if we said, use race and drafting these districts, the federal government’s going to say you can’t do that,” said Huffman.
Deidra Reese, Ohio Unity Coaltion, countered Huffman’s comments, “You can actually look at race as a criteria. It just cannot be the only criteria.”
Reese added that she felt disgusted when she heard racial data was taken into account, “I felt very invisible. I felt unheard. I felt like, like I don’t even count whatsoever. And that’s what this is all about. We counted people in the census. We’re supposed to have representation. You want to make certain that people have the ability to influence who is going to actually represent them. That’s what it’s all about.”
The Ohio Redistricting Commission will now hold three public hearings around the state to hear more comment on the Republican-made maps that have been adopted. Those meetings will be in Dayton, Cleveland, and Columbus, starting on Sunday.
The commission needs approval by the two Democratic members in order to have maps that last ten years. It can pass maps without Democratic support, but they would have to reconvene in four years to draw maps again.