Ohio’s unfair maps – Fixing state legislative gerrymandering
Gerrymandering rigs elections to favor one party’s lawmakers. It’s gotten quite bad for Ohio’s Congressional districts, but there are 2 other election maps we need to worry about: State Legislative maps which determine who our State Senators and State Representatives will be. If you care about laws regarding economic policy, guns, policing, education, pandemic policy, etc. then you should care about State lawmakers and how they are elected. If you care about the integrity of our elections, you should demand the end of gerrymandering.
Ohioans identify as 42% Republican and 40% Democrat, but that’s far from the balance of representation we see among the 132 lawmakers in the Statehouse. Better districts would give Ohioans better representation. New districts will be created this month with input from the public, so right now is the time to pay attention to this.
Our State Constitution has several new mapmaking requirements, but in this article we’ll focus on this one: “General assembly districts shall be compact.” Bizarre shaped districts are not compact, but before we can fix the problem we have to quantify it. I’ve written a tool to visualize how good or bad a district’s compactness is, and you can see the worst ones in dark purple or dark brown. When the new district maps are proposed this month, this tool will help ensure the districts are compact as constitutionally expected.
Page Contents
State Senate Districts
Ohio has 33 State Senators and the same number of districts. Even though Ohio is only a little more red than blue, 76% of State Senators are Republican: 25 to Democrats’ 8. That imbalance is largely due to gerrymandered districts.
Ohio has twice as many State Senate districts as US Congressional districts, so we should be able to achieve a similar high standard for a greater number of divisions. We can reasonably expect an Ohio district map to be 85% compact on average, with no district going below 60%, but the current Senate map falls far short of that.
The current State Senate map is just 69% compact for the average and median. There should be zero districts under 50%, but today we have 6 of them, which means those districts objectively fail the new compactness requirement. 3 of those are around an abysmal 30%. You can see the problem in this heat map, where the most acceptably compact districts are white and the worst ones are the darkest purple:
There should be no dark purple. Those districts meander around and separate voters with large gaps, designed to undemocratically guarantee political advantage.
The worst offender is District 25 east of Cleveland, with an appalling 28% rating due to having 3 nearly disconnected sections, each with its own indentations:
State House of Representatives Districts
Ohio has 3 times as many State Representatives as Senators, so there are 99 districts for them all. Republicans have 65% of the seats, 64 to Democrats’ 35. Again that’s well above party self-identification, so we’ll look to the district heat map to understand why:
Although much of the map is light, the dark brown districts spinning out of Columbus, dripping down from Cleveland and Akron, and stringing along through Cincinnati and Toledo are some of the most gerrymandered.
There are more House districts than counties in Ohio, so we should be able to create districts about as compact as our county map, but that’s not what the mapmakers came up with a decade ago. Ohio’s 88 county map is 97% compact, with no county dipping below 88%. In contrast, State House districts are 72% compact on average with a 73% median.
There should not be any districts under 50% compactness, but right now there are 14 State Rep districts lower than that, failing to reach bare minimum compactness. 31 districts, nearly 1 in 3, are lower than a reasonable expectation of 60%.
District 31 near Cincinnati is the worst House district. At only 36% compact, it looks like a crab with claws up on either side:
Districts should be as square as possible, not like inkblots that remind us of animal shapes. This is what election rigging looks like.
Constitutional Duty
Compactness is one of 3 standards that the redistricting commission “shall attempt” according to Ohio Constitution. This constitutional duty to try must be fulfilled by either delivering compact, representatively fair districts, or by providing a reasonable explanation for why it fell short. The absence of both may be evidence of neglect of this duty or even intentional gerrymandering, which could be brought before the Ohio Supreme Court to remedy.
Next Steps
The Ohio Redistricting Commission has begun the new mapmaking process as described by the Ohio Constitution. We’ll get Census data on 8/12/21 (delayed by the pandemic), and the Commission is expected to approve the new legislative maps by 9/1/21. That’s less than 3 weeks to agree on a 10-year map with bipartisan support. Otherwise the Commission may approve a 4-year map with a simple majority by 9/15/21.
That’s not much time to ensure we get fair districts. This process will have at least 3 public hearings. If you want to get involved to make our elections more fair, please visit Fair Districts Ohio or show up to tell the Redistricting Commission that you expect fair and compact maps. Tell them compact districts are measurable and expected by our Constitution.
References
The first part of my series on gerrymandering, regarding Congressional districts, can be found here: Measuring Ohio’s Gerrymandering Spike – A Proposal For Fair Election Maps
The measuring process is described in detail here. To summarize: you pick 2 random points in a district and see if the line connecting them crosses through another district. Repeat that 10,000 times to determine the percentage of lines that stay in-district and that’s your compactness rating.
Digital shape files for these districts were obtained from U.S. Census Bureau data located on the U.S. General Services Administration’s website data.gov here: Senate | House. TIGER/Line Shapefiles were converted to GEOJSON format via https://mapshaper.org/. The shape designated for Lake Erie was deleted using https://geojson.io/.
Ohio Senate Ratings
Ohio House Ratings
Pledge To Demand That Our Votes Must Be Counted
A guaranteed bipartisan 10-year Congressional map? Nope.
Ohio’s most decent Congress Members work across the aisle & respect elections
About The Author
Optimist from Ohio
I've been interested in philosophy and science since I was young, and community service and civic engagement have became a passion since college. I was born in Ohio and have lived in different parts of the state most of my life. I'm optimistic about the potential for humanity to live in peace with one another, but only if we work to better understand our world and each other with reason, patience and compassion.
Great V I should certainly pronounce, impressed with your site. I had no trouble navigating through all the tabs and related information ended up being truly simple to do to access. I recently found what I hoped for before you know it at all. Quite unusual. Is likely to appreciate it for those who add forums or something, web site theme . a tones way for your customer to communicate. Excellent task..
I do enjoy the way you have framed this specific situation and it does indeed present me some fodder for consideration. On the other hand, through just what I have personally seen, I simply just hope when other feed-back pack on that men and women keep on point and in no way start upon a soap box regarding the news of the day. Yet, thank you for this outstanding point and though I can not really agree with it in totality, I respect your perspective.
You made some first rate points there. I appeared on the web for the problem and found most people will go along with together with your website.
Hello, i think that i saw you visited my blog thus i came to “return the favor”.I’m trying to find things to enhance my website!I suppose its ok to use some of your ideas!!
Only wanna remark that you have a very decent website , I like the layout it really stands out.
My brother suggested I might like this web site. He was entirely right. This post truly made my day. You cann’t imagine simply how much time I had spent for this information! Thanks!
I like this post, enjoyed this one appreciate it for putting up.
Hey would you mind letting me know which hosting company you’re using? I’ve loaded your blog in 3 different internet browsers and I must say this blog loads a lot faster then most. Can you suggest a good web hosting provider at a fair price? Thanks, I appreciate it!
Currently it looks like WordPress is the preferred blogging platform out there right now. (from what I’ve read) Is that what you’re using on your blog?
I got good info from your blog
Do you mind if I quote a couple of your articles as long as I provide credit and sources back to your website? My blog site is in the exact same niche as yours and my users would definitely benefit from some of the information you provide here. Please let me know if this ok with you. Appreciate it!
Lottery Defeater Software? Lottery Defeater is a software application created to help people win lotteries
I have been exploring for a little for any high quality articles or blog posts in this kind of space . Exploring in Yahoo I ultimately stumbled upon this site. Studying this information So i?¦m happy to exhibit that I’ve an incredibly good uncanny feeling I came upon exactly what I needed. I most certainly will make certain to don?¦t put out of your mind this site and provides it a look regularly.
Thank you for every other informative blog. Where else could I get that type of info written in such an ideal method? I have a project that I am simply now working on, and I have been at the glance out for such information.
Nice blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere? A theme like yours with a few simple tweeks would really make my blog jump out. Please let me know where you got your theme. Many thanks
I haven’t checked in here for a while as I thought it was getting boring, but the last few posts are great quality so I guess I will add you back to my everyday bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂
You can definitely see your enthusiasm within the paintings you write. The sector hopes for even more passionate writers such as you who aren’t afraid to say how they believe. At all times follow your heart.
I was recommended this blog by my cousin. I’m not sure whether this post is written by him as nobody else know such detailed about my difficulty. You’re amazing! Thanks!
Great post, you have pointed out some fantastic points, I besides conceive this s a very superb website.
Hey There. I found your blog using msn. This is an extremely well written article. I will make sure to bookmark it and come back to read more of your useful information. Thanks for the post. I will certainly return.
What Is ZenCortex? ZenCortex is an ear health booster that protects ears from potential damage and improves your hearing health.
What Is LeanBiome? LeanBiome, a new weight loss solution, includes beneficial strains of gut bacteria that work fast for weight loss.
It is appropriate time to make a few plans for the long run and it is time to be happy. I’ve read this put up and if I may just I wish to recommend you some interesting things or suggestions. Perhaps you can write next articles relating to this article. I wish to learn more things about it!
Sweet blog! I found it while browsing on Yahoo News. Do you have any suggestions on how to get listed in Yahoo News? I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there! Appreciate it
Lottery Defeater Software is a fully automated, plug-and-play system designed to significantly improve your chances of winning the lottery.
Heya are using WordPress for your blog platform? I’m new to the blog world but I’m trying to get started and set up my own. Do you need any html coding knowledge to make your own blog? Any help would be really appreciated!
Perfectly composed content material, Really enjoyed reading through.
What is ProNerve 6? ProNerve 6 is your complete arrangement made to address the multifaceted necessities of nerve wellbeing
It’s really a nice and helpful piece of info. I’m satisfied that you just shared this useful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.
This website is really a stroll-via for all of the data you needed about this and didn’t know who to ask. Glimpse right here, and also you’ll definitely discover it.
Some really good articles on this web site, appreciate it for contribution.
Howdy very cool web site!! Man .. Excellent .. Amazing .. I will bookmark your website and take the feeds also…I am satisfied to seek out a lot of useful info right here in the submit, we’d like develop extra strategies on this regard, thank you for sharing. . . . . .
Thanks for helping out, fantastic info .
Very interesting topic, regards for putting up. “The friendship that can cease has never been real.” by Saint Jerome.
I like this site because so much useful material on here : D.
Sweet website , super layout, really clean and employ genial.
Glad to be one of several visitors on this awe inspiring web site : D.
The very heart of your writing whilst appearing reasonable at first, did not really sit well with me personally after some time. Someplace within the sentences you were able to make me a believer but only for a while. I still have got a problem with your leaps in logic and one might do well to fill in all those gaps. When you actually can accomplish that, I would definitely be fascinated.
What Is FitSpresso? The effective weight management formula FitSpresso is designed to inherently support weight loss. It is made using a synergistic blend of ingredients chosen especially for their metabolism-boosting and fat-burning features.
What Is ZenCortex? ZenCortex is a natural supplement that promotes healthy hearing and mental tranquility. It’s crafted from premium-quality natural ingredients, each selected for its ability to combat oxidative stress and enhance the function of your auditory system and overall well-being.
What does the Lottery Defeater Software offer? The Lottery Defeater Software is a unique predictive tool crafted to empower individuals seeking to boost their chances of winning the lottery.
We absolutely love your blog and find almost all of your post’s to be just what I’m looking for. can you offer guest writers to write content for you? I wouldn’t mind creating a post or elaborating on a few of the subjects you write about here. Again, awesome site!
I like this web blog very much, Its a really nice office to read and receive information.
Hi, Neat post. There is a problem with your website in internet explorer, would check this… IE still is the market leader and a large portion of people will miss your magnificent writing due to this problem.
I’m still learning from you, but I’m trying to achieve my goals. I certainly love reading all that is posted on your website.Keep the aarticles coming. I liked it!
Simply wanna comment that you have a very decent web site, I like the design and style it actually stands out.
I’ve recently started a blog, the info you offer on this website has helped me tremendously. Thank you for all of your time & work.
I am glad that I noticed this web site, exactly the right info that I was looking for! .
I really like your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you make this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz respond as I’m looking to design my own blog and would like to know where u got this from. thanks
I have been exploring for a bit for any high-quality articles or weblog posts in this sort of house . Exploring in Yahoo I at last stumbled upon this web site. Reading this info So i am satisfied to convey that I’ve a very excellent uncanny feeling I found out exactly what I needed. I so much indisputably will make sure to don¦t disregard this web site and give it a look on a continuing basis.
you have a great blog here! would you like to make some invite posts on my blog?
Thank you for the good writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to more added agreeable from you! However, how can we communicate?
You are a very smart person!
I saw a lot of website but I think this one has something extra in it in it
Hey! This post could not be written any better! Reading this post reminds me of my previous room mate! He always kept talking about this. I will forward this article to him. Fairly certain he will have a good read. Thank you for sharing!
Just desire to say your article is as amazing. The clarity in your post is just excellent and i can assume you are an expert on this subject. Well with your permission let me to grab your RSS feed to keep up to date with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please continue the enjoyable work.
An interesting discussion is worth comment. I think that you should write more on this topic, it might not be a taboo subject but generally people are not enough to speak on such topics. To the next. Cheers
After research a couple of of the weblog posts on your web site now, and I truly like your manner of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark website listing and will probably be checking again soon. Pls try my website online as nicely and let me know what you think.
I got what you intend, thanks for posting.Woh I am happy to find this website through google. “Those who corrupt the public mind are just as evil as those who steal from the public.” by Theodor Wiesengrund Adorno.
I have been examinating out some of your articles and it’s nice stuff. I will surely bookmark your site.
When I originally commented I clicked the “Notify me when new comments are added” checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get three emails with the same comment. Is there any way you can remove people from that service? Cheers!
I keep listening to the newscast lecture about getting boundless online grant applications so I have been looking around for the finest site to get one. Could you tell me please, where could i get some?
It’s in reality a great and helpful piece of information. I’m glad that you just shared this helpful information with us. Please stay us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
I like this post, enjoyed this one thanks for putting up.
I’m still learning from you, while I’m trying to achieve my goals. I definitely love reading all that is posted on your website.Keep the information coming. I enjoyed it!
Heya i am for the first time here. I found this board and I find It really useful & it helped me out much. I hope to give something back and help others like you helped me.
Way cool, some valid points! I appreciate you making this article available, the rest of the site is also high quality. Have a fun.