UAPA Meeting - Fair Districts Update

November 30, 2017
6:30 - Social get-together.
7:00 - Program begins
Friends Auditorium, UA Public Library
2800 Tremont Rd.

With all the turmoil being created by Congress and the current President, it is easy to become distracted from the most important issue on Ohio’s political agenda; the Fair Districts = Fair Elections Initiative. Currently, about half of the necessary 305,510 signatures have been collected and validated. Although there are undoubtedly many other signed petitions around the state, there is much yet to be done.

The November 30^th meeting will provide not an update on the Fair Districts effort and current status, it will discuss strategy for what needs to be done and how we can help. Dr. Dick Gunther, Political Science Professor Emeritus at OSU and advisor to the Fair Districts Campaign and Catherine Tercer, Executive Director of Common Cause Ohio, one of the lead organizations in the Fair Districts effort will speak.The UAPA program will also present any competing legislation and current information on the pending Supreme Court decision on partisan redistricting in Wisconsin.

As it becomes more likely that the Fair Districts = Fair Elections language will make the ballot, there is likelihood that the Ohio General Assembly will develop its own ballot initiative to confuse people or convince them that real reform is not necessary. They would not have to gather signatures to put their alternative on the ballot. In fact, there are hearings at the Statehouse scheduled for Thursday, October 26^th at 10:00 am in Hearing Room 13 and a second meeting is November 1^st at 6:00 pm in the same room. If you can come to show our support for our Fair Districts reform effort, please do.