Antonio Condemns Republican-Led Ballot Board Language Intended to Confuse Voters on Issue 1

Today, Senate Democratic Leader Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) condemned Republicans on the Ohio Ballot Board that voted along party lines to adopt dishonest language that will appear on the ballot in this November’s election for Issue 1, more commonly known as the “Citizens Not Politicians” redistricting constitutional amendment.

“I’m appalled by the Republican majority’s use of the Ohio Ballot Board to interfere in the democratic process and brazenly lie to the voters about the purpose of this proposal to remove politicians from the redistricting process,” said Antonio. “Republicans in this state have stooped to an unimaginably new low. The move to formalize language that this proposal would lead to gerrymandering after the legal saga we were subject to two years ago is insulting to the activists who worked to get this issue on the ballot and the over 700,000 Ohioans who signed the petition for it. It is unconstitutional, and I hope the court sees it that way when this horrific language is inevitably brought before them. Regardless, I look forward to supporting Issue 1 to ensure that Ohio’s redistricting and representation reflects the will of the people, not the interests of politicians.”