COLUMBUS–Today, Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) announced its opposition to the 2024 Issue 1 redistricting amendment. With early voting beginning next week on Tuesday, October 8, CCV is encouraging all voters to take a few minutes to understand why Issue 1 would be so detrimental to our state.

What is Issue 1?

The 2024 Issue 1 is an Ohio constitutional amendment that would fundamentally change how legislative and congressional district lines are drawn in our state. Backed by foreign-funded political organizations, the amendment would replace the current redistricting process that requires both parties to approve district lines with an unaccountable system that would allow maps with no support from one of the two major parties.

Simply put, the amendment would constitutionally protect gerrymandering. Under the new process, a commission of 15 unelected bureaucrats would be established to draw the state legislative lines for the 99 members of the Ohio House of Representatives, the 33 members of the Ohio Senate, and the 15 members of the US congressional delegation. The voters would have no say in who is on this commission, and no ability to hold them accountable for politically gerrymandered maps.

Why Does Center for Christian Virtue Oppose Issue 1?

There are 5 key reasons CCV is encouraging a NO vote on Issue 1:

1. ISSUE 1 IS TEXTBOOK GERRYMANDERING.
   By removing the requirement that districts prioritize compact districts and keeping communities of interest together, the constitutional amendment allows for absurd districts to be drawn to achieve a certain political outcome.
   

2. ISSUE 1 TAKES THE POWER AWAY FROM THE PEOPLE.
   Drawing legislative and congressional district lines is one of the most high-stakes and important processes in our nation. Issue 1 guarantees that those given this great power could never be held accountable by the voters for their decisions.
   

3. ISSUE 1 CREATES A NEW COMPLEX BUREAUCRACY THAT IS EASILY MANIPULATED.
   The 31-page proposed amendment creates a massive new bureaucracy that most voters will not have the time to keep an eye on. This empowers Columbus insiders and the politically well-connected to drive the process.
   

4. ISSUE 1 IS BACKED BY FOREIGN POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS.
   The Sixteen-Thirty Fund, which receives millions from foreign billionaires, has poured $6 million into Ohio to pass Issue 1. They acted quickly to move the money into the campaign account before Ohio’s new ban on foreign donations went into effect. 
   

5. ISSUE 1 IS BACKED BY RADICAL LEFTIST, PRO-ABORTION, AND TRANSGENDER ORGANIZATIONS.
   Ohio Progressive Collaborative, Planned Parenthood, and Equality Ohio are pressing hard to pass Issue 1. Their radical political agendas have never been able to pass through the General Assembly, and Issue 1 would rig the redistricting process to allow their harmful ideologies to go into law in Ohio.

Election Resources

• Review your personalized candidate information on BuckeyeBallot.com.

• Invite a member of our I Will Not Keep Silent Tour to speak at your church.

• Download a PDF of CCV's Issue 1 Explainer and get the facts!

Are You Registered to Vote?

Make sure you're registered to vote at your current address! Ohio's voter registration deadline is Monday, October 7, at 9:00 pm.

For more information, contact CCV at 513-733-5775 or contact@ccv.org. For media inquiries, email media@ccv.org.

As Ohio’s largest Christian public policy organization, Center for Christian Virtue seeks the good of our neighbors by advocating for public policy that reflects the truth of the Gospel.

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