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Kasich Joins the Push to Stop Making Political Map-Making so Partisan

Secretary of State's Office

Gov. John Kasich is backing a U.S. Supreme Court challenge to a state legislative district map from Wisconsin, saying gerrymandering creates polarization and division.Voters changed Ohio’s statehouse map-drawing process in 2015. Those who now want to change Congressional district maps are carefully watching this case – and noting Kasich’s support for it.

In 2011, Kasich signed into law Ohio’s Congressional District map, which has been called one of the most gerrymandered in the nation. Since then, he’s spoken out against creating overly partisan districts. Catherine Turcer’s group is working on a Congressional redistricting ballot issue for next year. And she’s glad for Kasich’s apparent change of heart.

“We are never going to get to fair districts unless we are open to people seeing the light after they did us dirty.”

Last year, Kasich had said he’d put Congressional redistricting changes into his budget, but he didn’t. A spokesperson said he was working with lawmakers. There’s a state Senate resolution on Congressional redistricting, but it’s seen no action since March. 

Karen is a lifelong Ohioan who has served as news director at WCBE-FM, assignment editor/overnight anchor at WBNS-TV, and afternoon drive anchor/assignment editor in WTAM-AM in Cleveland. In addition to her daily reporting for Ohio’s public radio stations, she’s reported for NPR, the BBC, ABC Radio News and other news outlets. She hosts and produces the Statehouse News Bureau’s weekly TV show “The State of Ohio”, which airs on PBS stations statewide. She’s also a frequent guest on WOSU TV’s “Columbus on the Record”, a regular panelist on “The Sound of Ideas” on ideastream in Cleveland, appeared on the inaugural edition of “Face the State” on WBNS-TV and occasionally reports for “PBS Newshour”. She’s often called to moderate debates, including the Columbus Metropolitan Club’s Issue 3/legal marijuana debate and its pre-primary mayoral debate, and the City Club of Cleveland’s US Senate debate in 2012.