League of Women Voters of the Oberlin Area shares anger over gerrymandering in virtual roundtable

OBERLIN — Blatant gerrymandering by any party — but right now specifically by Ohio Republicans — is an attack on democracy, League of Women Voters of the Oberlin Area said Monday. In a virtual roundtable, President Deb Cocco said protecting voting rights, improving elections and getting money out of politics are all priorities for 2022. But it was the state fight for fair legislative maps that generated the most discussion, and the most anger. Three times now the Ohio Supreme Court has found voting maps drawn by state Republicans to be unconstitutional, and it appears likely that versions that comply with the law won't be drafted in time for the May 3 primary. "Who could have imagined that the tactics used to deny African Americans the vote during Reconstruction would be affecting us here in Lorain County in 2022?" said League Trustee Jeanine Donaldson, who runs the YMCA of Elyria and Lorain County Racial Equality Center. While suppression of Black votes is historically associated with the South, those practices are rolling out across the nation, she said. Today it's not a "Black problem," but one that affects all voters, Donaldson said. "Do we really want to go back to those Jim Crow days?" she asked. The deadline to register to vote in the May primary is April 4, and early voting begins April 5. With those dates rapidly closing in, everyone should be contacting their Ohio House and Senate representatives to demand maps that don't give any party an unfair advantage, said Maureen Simen, who has coordinated voter registration efforts for years. As it stands, Ohio "just isn't ready for its May primaries," Oberlin area League Vice President Rhys Price Jones said. Gerrymandering allows politicians to choose their voters, rather than voters choosing their representatives, he said, "and that really undermines our democratic republic." The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan group. Price Jones said he has no loyalty to any party that tries to twist the system to its advantage. He suggested not standing idly by, but voting strategically. "One effect of gerrymandering is to ensure safe seats, usually for incumbents, but also for partisanship," he said. "This results in reducing the importance of the general election: The primary effectively decides the result. If I live in a democratic gerrymandered district, I'll vote in the Democratic primary. Same way, if I live in a Republican gerrymandered district, I'll vote in the Republican primary." There are lobbying options for the League of Women Voters, said Donaldson. It could champion passage of a federal law that secures voting rights, or the creation of independent redistricting commissions in each state so that the parties in power can't change the rules to stay in power. Voting and registering others to vote is the most fundamental way to enact change, she said. Voter registration efforts waned during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cocco said. The good news, according to Simen, is that in Ohio anyone can run a registration drive without certification and special training. Still, the League of Women Voters of the Oberlin Area offers instruction opportunities. Volunteer by emailing lwvoberlin@gmail.com with "Voter Registration" in the subject line. The recent defeats in the Senate of two key bills mean the League has much work to do, said Cocco. The Freedom to Vote Act would have banned partisan gerrymandering, protected voters from intimidation and harassment, restored voting rights to formerly incarcerated people, barred states from using witness and notary requirements for absentee voting, put curbs on efforts to challenge eligible voters and prevented states from purging eligible voters from their rolls. Republicans used the filibuster to block the bill. The John Lewis Voting Rights Act would have outlawed discriminatory practices that disproportionately affect people of color, youth and the elderly. It's seen as a successor to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It passed the U.S. House in August by a 219-212 margin, but failed in both November and January to get the 60 votes needed to advance. Now the League has identified two proposed Ohio bills as "legislation of concern," according to Cocco. House Bill 294 would add automatic voter registration and online ballot requests — which the League sees as pros. It would however limit access to ballot drop boxes, impose what the League believes are confusing voter ID requirements, shorten the absentee ballot request period and cancel early voting the Monday before Election Day. House Bill 387 "would set back voting rights," according to Cocco, by eliminating ballot drop boxes altogether, shortening the early voting period to just six days, requiring a "valid" excuse to cast an absentee ballot, banning mailing of absentee ballot applications to Ohio voters and requiring a photo ID to register to vote and to vote in any manner, whether on Election Day or by absentee ballot. Now the Oberlin League is turning its energies to creating a voter guide for the May primary, focusing on Lorain County issues and races. It can be found at www.vote411.org. The guide is harder to populate this year, Price Jones said. Time has been limited by the fight over Ohio redistricting, which will change what candidates are eligible to run in which districts. To volunteer to help gather information for the voter guide, email rhyspj@me.com. Contact Jason Hawk at (440) 329-7122 or news@lcnewspapers.com.