Ohio voters show their support for fair redistricting maps and opposition to gerrymandering with Fair District yard signs.
Voters should choose their legislators - not legislators choosing their voters. Fair Districts Ohio is a non-partisan coalition committed to fairer state legislative and congressional maps. Volunteers demonstrate their support and encourage others to fight gerrymandering with Fair Districts yard signs.
Getting yard signs to thousands of volunteers through dozens of distribution locations is a logistical challenge. Where can yards signs be picked up? How can volunteers sign up to get and distribute signs? How can the available inventory of yard signs be tracked and replenished quickly? How can all this be done with very little time, money and staffing?
Businesses know how to get just the right amount of their products to the right stores at the right time. DemLabs pro bono applies existing business distribution apps to assist groups fighting for democratic values. Using existing apps cuts costs and the time needed to deploy solutions. DemLabs pro bono applied ArcGIS Online (nonprofit license of $150/year) app for Fair Districts to create a solution in two days for:
1. Supporters can easily find yard signs nearby from their phones and laptops.
2. Volunteers can easily sign up to get and share yard signs
3. Inventory level of signs are tracked and replenished quickly.
Redistricting reforms passed by Ohio voters will first be used by voters in 2021. Fair Districts is building community awareness and encouraging more people to get involved in the process through legislative advocacy and community mapping. Fair Districts yard signs is one way they are raising public support.
Design for ease of use
Many supporters will use the app from their phone. The Fair District app can be shared as a URL by email or social media. It automatically adjusts to the type of device being used - phone, tablet or laptop. Users can find locations on the map or entering a town in the Search Bar.
The map can also be embedded in a website with this code: < iframe width="300" height="200" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen src="https://arcg.is/1ieXOW">
Fair Districts Ohio
Fair Districts Ohio is a non-partisan coalition committed to fairer state legislative and congressional maps. The coalition includes Common Cause Ohio, the League of Women Voters of Ohio, Ohio A. Philip Randolph Institute, the Ohio Council of Churches, the Ohio Voter Rights Coalition and others.
"Ohio voters overwhelmingly supported state legislative redistricting reform in 2015 and passed congressional redistricting reform in 2018. These reforms were placed in the Ohio Constitution and both reform efforts won in all 88 Ohio counties and by more than 70% of the vote. These reforms encourage bipartisan map-making and establishing rules that focus on keeping communities or political subdivisions together. Public hearings were added to encourage public participation and more transparency." - Fair Districts
Frequently asked questions
I’M NOT A DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN. WHY SHOULD I CARE? Gerrymandering gives all voters fewer choices. Districts that lean heavily in one direction or the other mean that the real competition happens in the primary and elected officials are more tied to their political parties than their voters. This pushes parties to more extreme views and polarizes voters. Research also shows that legislators vote more in line with their party than the voters’ interests.
HOW DO MAP-MAKERS CREATE UNFAIR DISTRICTS? The party that has the majority can pack voters of the minority party into one district so that they reduce the number of minority districts. The majority party can also split (called cracking) voters of the minority into a number of districts diluting their voting power and giving them an unfair advantage in elections for years.
Fair Districts encourages volunteers to fight gerrymandering, legislative advocacy and drawing community maps for redistricting.
