Sykes Comments on State Legislative Maps Adopted on Party Lines
September 16, 2021
Vernon Sykes News
Today, state Senator Vernon Sykes (D-Akron), co-chair of the Ohio Redistricting Commission, released the following statement after Republican members of the Ohio Redistricting Commission adopted state legislative maps that continue to gerrymander Ohio’s communities and give the Republican Party an unearned advantage in the General Assembly:
“After advocating for fair maps since the 1980s, I couldn’t in good faith support the state legislative maps presented by Republicans, which are less fair, less representative and more gerrymandered than even our current maps. I am astounded by the arrogance of the supermajority and their callous disregard for voters, the Constitution and the people of the state of Ohio. Over the past few weeks, I attended all 15 public hearings the Redistricting Commission held across the state and heard people plead for fair districts, sometimes crying and sometimes scolding us. The maps adopted today completely ignore their demands.”
“After advocating for fair maps since the 1980s, I couldn’t in good faith support the state legislative maps presented by Republicans, which are less fair, less representative and more gerrymandered than even our current maps. I am astounded by the arrogance of the supermajority and their callous disregard for voters, the Constitution and the people of the state of Ohio. Over the past few weeks, I attended all 15 public hearings the Redistricting Commission held across the state and heard people plead for fair districts, sometimes crying and sometimes scolding us. The maps adopted today completely ignore their demands.”