Testimony on H.J.R. 13,
redistricting/reapportionment
Catherine Turcer, Campaign Finance Reform Director
Ohio Citizen Action
Ohio House Technology and Elections Committee
The Honorable Ron Amstutz, Chair
February 2, 2000
Mr. Chairman and members of the House Technology and Elections Committee:
My name is Catherine Turcer. I am the Campaign Finance Reform Director for Ohio Citizen Action. Ohio Citizen Action commends this committee for addressing the difficult issue of redistricting. We applaud the many supporters of this legislation including the sponsors of HJR 13, Representative Ron Amstutz and Representative Vern Sykes, House leadership and Secretary of State Ken Blackwell and the League of Women Voters.
Taking politics out of the redistricting process is a major step forward for the citizens of Ohio. Citizens should select their representatives, rather than their representatives picking them. We support a mathematical, non-partisan method of redistricting that keeps communities together.
However, we encourage the members of this committee to amend the resolution to move the effective date to 2001. This would enable the next set of district lines to be created based on the census data gathered this year. There is no practical reason why this cannot be done. The Secretary of State should be able to do "dress rehearsals" or "trial runs" using the 1990 census data. I realize that the infrastructure for changing the status quo is not in place, however, census data could be posted on the Ohio Secretary of State’s website and easily disseminated to both academicians and the public. This proposal is a good idea whose time has come, 2001.
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