LIMA — “Yes on Issue 1” was a common refrain among speakers and attendees at a meeting about Ohio’s Issue 1 on Thursday.

The event took place at 1219 UAW Local Park, 1750 Bible Road, Lima.

Advocates for State Issue 1, which aims to ban gerrymandering, met and listened to Jeff Krantz, of the Ohio State Association of Letter Carriers, and Catherine Turcer, executive director of Common Cause Ohio, speak about Issue 1.

“I am sick and tired of gerrymandering,” Turcer said. “The manipulation of district lines is a manipulation of elections, and the manipulation of elections is the manipulation of public policy, and we are living with the impacts of gerrymandering every single day.

Krantz said, “There has been some buzz from one of our candidates for president that I think is very disparaging towards letter carriers in this country, and I think I can speak for all 280,000 that we are prepared to deliver absentee ballots in this election and get those ballots where they need to go.

He added, “In Ohio, there are way too many extreme, out-of-touch lawmakers that pose a threat to working people and labor.”

Turcer echoed the unfairness of previous elections due to gerrymandering and explained her role with the Citizens Not Politicians campaign.

“The first time I collected signatures was next to a Christmas tree last year. Direct democracy is not easy,” she said.

Turcer emphasized that Issue 1 is backed by Republicans, Democrats, independents and Libertarians.

“We all want to have our voices heard,” she said.

Krantz added, “We have a chance to re-balance this state on Nov. 5 with Citizens Not Politicians. When districts are competitive, our issues, worker issues, union issues and kitchen table issues come to the forefront. They will have to listen to us.”

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