For Immediate Release: June 19, 2025

Nelsonville Residents Create and Publish First Draft of City Council Ward Map Proposal During Third Town Hall Meeting Hosted by the League of Women Voters of Athens, League of Women Voters of Ohio

Contact: Trevor Martin, 415.871.8750, tmartin@lwvohio.org; Debbie Schmieding, 740.517.1977, athensleagueofwomenvoters@gmail.com.

Nelsonville, OH: On Monday, June 16th, the League of Women Voters of Athens County and the League of Women Voters of Ohio held its third town hall meeting to facilitate the creation of new ward maps for the Nelsonville City Council by Nelsonville residents. The meeting was held on Founder’s Day, the 207th anniversary of Nelsonville’s first city plat map laid out by Daniel Nelson in 1818.

Using an interactive mapping software program, attendees spent the evening discussing and then making real-time decisions about where the district lines for the new ward map should be drawn. “I just really think it’s cool that folks are here as a community drafting a new city council ward map on the anniversary of Nelsonville’s very first map over two hundred years ago,” said Trevor Martin, program director for the League of Women Voters of Ohio.

The first draft of a new city council ward map proposed by the attending residents of Nelsonville can be found on the Nelsonville Redistricting Website at lwvohio.org/nelsonvilleredistricting. Nelsonville citizens are being asked to review the map and submit feedback or suggestions using the Public Comment Portal found on the website.

“Please get on the map”, local business owner Nerissa Neuman encourages fellow Nelsonville residents. ”It’s important that we get as many comments as possible. We need that. I encourage feedback, whatever kind of feedback it is, because we need to know what people think.”

The League of Women Voters of Athens County and League of Women Voters of Ohio will host another town hall meeting on June 30th before proposing a ward map for the City of Nelsonville based on community feedback in July. The meetings are open to all, because democracy works best when we all participate.

WHAT: Fourth Town Hall on Nelsonville Redistricting

WHEN: 6pm – 8pm Monday, June 30th, 2025

WHERE: Nelsonville Public Library, 95 W. Washington, Nelsonville, OH 45764

To learn more or get involved please contact Trevor Martin at 415.871.8750.