August 11, 2005

EDITORIAL

Political reform in Ohio needed

Change is coming for Ohio’s election system in a way that makes elections more competitive.

A group called Reform Ohio Now is seeking approval from voters for three constitutional amendments that could dramatically shake up Ohio politics, including a proposal to fix the way Ohio draws congressional and legislative maps to make contests less one-sided. The group’s plans are bold and could give Ohioans a louder voice when it comes to selecting their representatives.

Reform Ohio Now spent the last few months collecting the signatures of more than a half million Ohio voters. The signatures are expected to be verified later this month, and, if found to be sufficient in number, three amendments to the Ohio Constitution would appear on the Nov. 8 ballot.

One of the proposed amendments would lower to $2,000 the amount individuals could contribute to statewide candidates and to $1,000 for legislative candidates. The current limit is $10,000 for candidates seeking either statewide or legislative office. Another proposal would put a nine-member panel, called the State Board of Elections Supervisors, in charge of running elections and create the position of state director of elections. This would take the role of running elections out of the hands of the elected secretary of state.

Then there’s the redistricting proposal, the most exciting of Reform Ohio Now’s amendments. It would create a five-member Ohio Independent Redistricting Commission that would be responsible for approving new state legislative and congressional districts every 10 years. The redistricting proposal would lead to a momentous transformation in the way political districts are drawn. That’s because, if voters approve the amendment, anyone could submit redistricting plans to the commission, which would select the winning entries based on those that create the most “swing districts,” or those that promise competitive races, without dividing cities or counties.

Under the current system, Ohio’s congressional and legislative districts are drawn by the State Apportionment Board, which consists of the governor, state auditor, secretary of state and a lawmaker from both the Republican and Democratic Party. Districts are created to ensure that races are safe, that incumbents, especially those who are members of the party with the most power, will win. Need proof? Joe Hallett, a senior editor at The Columbus Dispatch, reported last month that “of the 133 Statehouse and congressional races in Ohio last year, in only 14 races did the winner get less than 55 percent of the votes.”

The current system ensures there’s little turnover of politicians, especially in Congress, and has helped the Ohio Republican Party consolidate power over the last two decades. Politicians charged with redrawing legislative maps will look out for the interests of their own, before they consider the interests of voters. It’s the allure of consolidating and then gaining power that helps corrupt our political system.

The election reform efforts would also move politics closer to the center, by making it less likely that extremists on either end of the political spectrum would dominate a race. A candidate would not be able to rely solely on his base to win, meaning that moderates and politicians more inclined to seek middle ground on contentious issues would increase their odds of winning on Election Day. Candidates battling in competitive contests would have to offer pragmatic compromises and concessions to convince Independents and members of other political parties to vote for them.

Imagine it: competitive races, honest debate, politicians compromising, voters having a choice of two qualified candidates. That Ohioans don’t already enjoy these basics is an indictment of the state’s democratic process. Indeed, change is badly needed.

—Robert Mihalek