Reform won't wait - House Democrats need to back plan to improve Ohio's system of creating legislative districts

Paper: Columbus Dispatch, The (OH)

Date: May 28, 2006

Democrats, who bristle at the GOP's domination of Ohio politics, were given a rare opportunity on Thursday to have their voices heard. Their support was needed to remove gerrymandering from the design of legislative districts. But instead, Democrats helped to block this overdue reform, and in doing so failed their party and the people of Ohio.

After House leaders, who needed three-fifths approval to place a redistricting amendment on the statewide November ballot, lost the first vote, they cleverly repackaged the bill to mirror a Democratic reform plan drawn up last year. And Democrats proceeded to vote down their own idea.

For years, Democrats have lambasted one-party rule, enabled in part by a legislative-districting system that favors the party in power. But when faced with a chance for meaningful reform, the Democrats dropped the ball.

A number of Republican senators also oppose the plan, apparently preferring the partisan method of shaping districts. Opponents from both parties should quit dragging their feet.

Reformers contend it's now or never for redistricting reform. Never might be a bit strong, but a similar opportunity likely won't come again for another decade.

The time is right because this year's election is up for grabs, meaning that so is the next redistricting. GOP scandals have helped make races for statewide office and for the General Assembly competitive again. The party that wins in November won't be in the mood to amend a redistricting system that can be exploited to its advantage.

The window for reform soon will close. If the redistricting amendment fails to pass both chambers by Aug. 9, it's dead for 2006.

The GOP House plan, which had bipartisan input, calls for an independent board, not the party in power, to create districts based on nonpartisan criteria. The seven-member commission would manage the once-every-decade redrawing of congressional and Ohio Senate and House districts.

Districts that are compact, preserve communities of interest and are politically competitive would be the goals.

By obstructing this measure, Ohio Democrats are ceding the moral high ground. They, along with the Republicans, know that gaming the redistricting method to favor one party is bad for democracy and bad for Ohio's voters.

If enacted, the plan could become a model for other states, said Edward Foley, an Ohio State University professor and an expert on elections law.

"I don't think anybody should take the position that the status quo is better. This can probably be characterized as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Foley explained.

There's no better proposition on the horizon. Legislators who don't support reform will lose credibility with voters. They should put partisan interests aside and do what's right for all Ohioans.

Section: Editorial & Comment

Page: 04D