O’Connor Urges Voter Mobilization in Fiery AFL-CIO Address  

‘Mobilize to defeat the lies,’ retired Chief Justice says in rallying support for Issue 1 to end gerrymandering

CLEVELAND – Voting Yes on Issue 1 will not only end gerrymandering in Ohio, but will once again let politicians know that Ohioans don’t trust them and that Ohioans know what is best for Ohioans. And they know that ending gerrymandering by voting YES ON ISSUE 1 is what is best for all of Ohio. To make that happen, Ohioans everywhere – Republicans, Democrats and Independents – need to be sure to register and have a plan to vote Yes on Issue 1.

That was the message of retired Ohio Chief Maureen O’Connor on Tuesday in a spirited address to several hundred union members, organizers and leaders from around the state at the AFL-CIO Biennial Convention at the Cleveland Hilton Downtown.

“Gerrymandering is a lie. And the only people who support it and benefit from it are lying politicians led by our disgraced secretary of state Frank LaRose,” O’Connor said. “How is the opposition operating? Well, they believe that if you repeat a lie often enough and loud enough people will believe it. History is replete with politicians perpetuating a big lie to get the public to do things that are against their best interest,” said O’Connor.  

“Frank LaRose and his band of politicians, lobbyists, big-money donors and political insiders are organizing a lying campaign to keep the status quo. It’s not going to work. You know why? Because we are mobilized. We are voting Yes on Issue 1. Mobilize and vote Yes to defeat the lies.”

O’Connor served on the state’s high court for 20 years, the last 12 of them as Chief Justice. She was a part of the court’s bipartisan majority that ruled seven times that LaRose and the other politicians on the current Ohio Redistricting Commission violated the state constitution by drawing gerrymandered maps. She is one of the authors of the Citizens Not Politicians Amendment that is on the ballot Nov. 5 as State Issue 1.    

“The lawlessness, cynicism, and dishonor of the current politicians’ redistricting commission impact the world we want to leave for our children and grandchildren,” she said. “This fight is about the future of Ohio, the future of America, and the future of democracy itself.”

O’Connor told the more than 400 delegates and labor leaders that the key to victory will be voter mobilization, and that starts with voter registration. 

“The deadline to register to vote is fast approaching—October 7 is the last day to ensure that you, your family, and your friends are eligible to vote in this critical election,” O’Connor said. “Together, we are mobilizing volunteers, holding registration drives, and reaching out to communities in all 88 counties to make sure that no eligible voter is left behind. We’re on the ground, in the workplaces, on the streets, and online—doing everything we can to make sure that every voice is heard on November 5. Get registered, get your plan to vote, and encourage everyone you know to do the same.”

O’Connor’s address comes one week after the campaign launched a statewide digital ad showing how LaRose and his politician comrades have as much integrity as the cheating former head coach of the University of Michigan football team. Today, the campaign launched a $20 million broadcast blitz with a TV advertisement speaking directly to the Buckeye State’s diverse citizenry, underscoring that conservative, progressive and independent Ohioans all agree on one thing: Yes on 1 will end gerrymandering by firing the politicians. That ad is available here.

O’Connor said that every week from now until Nov. 5, the campaign will continue to ramp up its paid media program on both broadcast television and on myriad digital platforms. 
“But we’re not just on the air and online, we’re meeting Ohioans in person, knocking on doors in all 88 counties,” she said. “From the hills of Appalachia – to the farmlands and the Firelands – to our urban centers and the Three Cs, this is a big diverse state, and we often disagree, but Buckeyes are united in their disdain for lying, cheating politicians, and so Buckeyes everywhere are voting Yes on1,” O’Connor said. 

When passed, the Citizens Not Politicians Amendment will establish an independent redistricting commission, free from current or former politicians and lobbyists. The initiative will create a fair, transparent, and impartial redistricting process that genuinely reflects the will of Ohio’s citizens.

More than 100 organizations, businesses, and thought leaders across Ohio champion the constitutional amendment. The diverse coalition supporting the historic initiative includes Republicans, Independents and Democrats and is made up of business groups, nonpartisan policy groups, labor unions, civil rights organizations, and faith-based organizations representing hundreds of thousands of Ohioans across the political spectrum.

A bipartisan group of more than 90 business leaders has also released an open letter endorsing the amendment.    

Gerrymandering, the practice of drawing political boundaries to favor a particular party or group, undermines fair representation and effective policy. Ohio is recognized as one of the worst states for gerrymandering, affecting the lives of millions of Ohioans.

The Citizens Not Politicians Amendment will:

• Create the 15-member Ohio Citizens Redistricting Commission composed of Republican, Democratic, and independent citizens representing the state’s diverse geography and demographics.
• Ban current or former politicians, political party officials, and lobbyists from serving on the commission.
• Require the creation of fair and impartial districts, prohibiting any drawing of voting districts that discriminate against or favor any political party or individual politician.
• Operate under an open and independent process.

For more information about the lawsuit and the Citizens Not Politicians Amendment, visit www.citizensnotpoliticians.org.

About Citizens Not Politicians
Citizens Not Politicians is a grassroots, nonpartisan coalition of Republican, Democratic and Independent Ohio voters and includes nearly 100 organizations, businesses, and thought leaders across Ohio supporting a constitutional amendment that will end gerrymandering in the state.