The Ohio Democratic Women’s Caucus met online Tuesday for their monthly meeting to discuss initiatives on the November 2024 ballot to discuss congressional districts and the wage inequality for service workers.
Mia Lewis, the associate director of Common Cause Ohio, presented information on the Citizens Not Politicians Amendment ballot initiative. Lewis said in Ohio, legislators are in charge of drawing their own districts, which they can and do use to benefit themselves in a process known as gerrymandering -- the political manipulation of electoral district boundaries to favor one party or class.
“The solution to the problem is in the title of the effort, ‘Citizens Not Politicians,’” Lewis said. “Let's have citizens draw the maps instead of politicians because they are self-interested.”
Lewis said the goal of Citizens Not Politicians is to create a 15-member citizen’s commission, composed of five Democrats, five Republicans and five independent citizens who represent the wide demographics of Ohio.
She said the commission will aid in redistricting by requiring fair and impartial districts by making it unconstitutional to draw voting districts that discriminate against or favor any political party or individual politician. Additionally, the commission is not to include any current or former politicians or public office holders.
The policy is in the signature collection, and if it reaches its goal, it will be on the ballot come November, Lewis said. If that is true, the commission has a goal of drawing maps by Summer 2025. Lewis said if this does not pass in November, Ohio will be stuck with gerrymandered maps until 2032.
Mariah Ross, ballot initiative director and Ohio campaign manager for One Fair Wage discussed an initiative on the November 2024 ballot that would not only raise the Ohio minimum wage from $10.45 an hour to $15 but also end subminimum wages for tipped workers, disabled workers and youth workers who currently qualify to earn federal minimum wage. Currently, Ohio’s minimum wage for tipped workers is $5.25 an hour.
Ross said if passed, the initiative will add $4 billion back into the economy and will help with job retention rates in restaurants.
Both initiatives are currently looking for volunteers to help collect signatures.
