Signature-gathering starts anew for mapmaking proposal in Ohio that was stalled by a typo

By JULIE CARR SMYTH
Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Backers of a proposal to change Ohio’s troubled political mapmaking system can finally begin gathering signatures. After repeated delays, Citizens Not Politicians now has until July 3 to collect roughly 414,000 signatures required to make the November 2024 ballot. The amendment aims to replace the current Ohio Redistricting Commission with an independent body selected directly by citizens. Proponents weathered two rounds of objections by Republican Attorney General Dave Yost before the amendment was initially certified. It then cleared the state Ballot Board only for organizers to discover a single-digit typo in a date. That panel cleared the corrected language Monday.