Redistricting reform could be Maureen O'Connor's legacy if it makes it to the ballot

Maureen O'Connor was the first woman to serve as chief justice of the Ohio Supreme Court. The Republican was the longest-serving woman in an Ohio statewide office when she retired from the court at the end of last year.

Now she is helping to lead the charge for a proposed constitutional amendment that would change Ohio's redistricting process to put citizens — not politicians — at the helm. In October, the group Citizens Not Politicians got one step closer to putting the issue before voters when the Ohio Attorney General authorized the summary language for the proposal on their third try.

Later that month, the group discovered an incorrect date in their summary language. They have corrected the error and resubmitted to the attorney general. If he approves the change, it then goes to the ballot board for approval before the group can begin gathering signatures.

Citizens Not Politicians must get more than 413,000 valid signatures by July to make the November 2024 ballot.

On Cincinnati Edition, we discuss the proposal and why retired Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor thinks it is needed.