May 22

Group that opposed Ohio union limits to put its muscle behind fall redistricting amendment

JULIE CARR SMYTH  Associated Press

First Posted: May 21, 2012 - 4:05 pm

Last Updated: May 21, 2012 - 4:06 pm

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The well-funded campaign behind the 2011 repeal of Ohio's collective bargaining law is throwing its might behind a constitutional amendment that would take away elected officials' power to draw legislative and congressional districts.

The labor-backed We Are Ohio coalition led the successful repeal of union limits for public workers. It said Monday it will join the nonpartisan Ohio Voters First organization. Its decision will mean additional money and volunteers helping to qualify the amendment for this fall's ballot.

Izetta Thomas, a Columbus special-needs preschool teacher, said she sees the two issues as connected.
http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/7286239eaca34d908ec1d47e77abd38a/OH--Ohio-Redistricting-Amendment/

District redraw reform boosted

Coalition that backed repeal of SB 5 joins drive for ballot issue.

By Laura A. Bischoff, Columbus Bureau 10:21 PM Monday, May 21, 2012

COLUMBUS — Voting rights advocates and a coalition of labor unions are banding together to push an Ohio constitutional amendment that would try to take politics out of how legislative and congressional districts are drawn.

Voters First announced Monday that We Are Ohio, a coalition of labor unions, is joining the petition drive to collect 386,000 valid voter signatures by July 4 to put a constitutional amendment on the November ballot.

Last year, We Are Ohio ran a successful voter referendum to block Senate Bill 5, which called for a significant weakening of collective bargaining rights for public employee unions across Ohio. The group’s involvement could lend foot soldiers and funding to Voters First.
http://www.daytondailynews.com/news/election/district-redraw-reform-boosted-1379358.html

We Are Ohio Teams with Redistricting Issue Group

Hannah Report 5/21/12

The group that drove the repeal of collective bargaining legislation SB5 (Jones) last year announced Monday that it is joining an effort to change the way the state draws its General Assembly and congressional lines.

We Are Ohio, a coalition that included unions and public employees, said it is throwing its support behind the Voters First petition drive to change the reapportionment and redistricting process in Ohio. Backers of the issue, which would create an independent citizens commission to draw the lines, are aiming for this November's ballot but must collect 385,245 valid signatures by July 4 in order to qualify.
http://www.hannah.com/DesktopDefaultPublic.aspx?type=hns&id=189470

We Are Ohio Joins Voters First To Push For New Redistricting Process

Gongwer 5/21/12

Although it does not anticipate financially backing a ballot issue to create a nonpartisan redistricting commission, We Are Ohio said Monday it plans to draw on its half a million supporters to push the Voters First effort.

The organization behind the Issue 2 referendum (SB 5 ) announced it will support the ballot initiative effort that is currently in the signature-gathering process to place the issue on the November ballot. Supporters must collect more than 386,000 valid signatures by July 4 to be eligible for the general election.

House leadership, meanwhile, called the ballot issue an "ill-drafted concept" that is undemocratic in its approach to creating the commission that would draw legislative district lines.

http://www.gongwer-oh.com/programming/news.cfm?article_ID=810980203