So, the dust has finally settled on the November 2024 election, and if you were following the drama in the Buckeye State, you know things got messy. We are talking about the issue 1 ohio 2024 results, a ballot measure that was supposed to "end gerrymandering" but ended up becoming one of the most confusing, expensive, and heated fights in recent Ohio history.
Basically, the measure failed. It wasn't even that close in the end.
Official tallies show that 53.7% of Ohioans voted "No," while 46.3% voted "Yes." That is a gap of about 400,000 votes. In a state where people usually scream about wanting fair maps, this result felt like a bit of a record scratch for the folks who spent over $40 million trying to pass it.
Why the issue 1 ohio 2024 results shocked the "Yes" camp
Honestly, the "Yes" campaign, led by a group called Citizens Not Politicians, had everything going for them on paper. They had a massive war chest. They outspent the opposition by a nearly 6-to-1 or 7-to-1 margin. You couldn't turn on a TV in Columbus or Cleveland without seeing an ad about how politicians shouldn't be drawing their own districts.
Even with all that cash, they couldn't seal the deal.
The goal was to fire the politicians from the redistricting process. Right now, Ohio's maps are drawn by a commission made up of elected officials—the governor, secretary of state, auditor, and four lawmakers. Issue 1 wanted to replace them with a 15-member "citizen commission" made up of five Republicans, five Democrats, and five independents.
So, what went wrong? Why did voters stick with the status quo?
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The "Required to Gerrymander" Controversy
You’ve gotta look at the ballot language. This was probably the biggest factor in the issue 1 ohio 2024 results.
In Ohio, the Ballot Board (controlled by Republicans) gets to write the summary that voters actually see when they walk into the booth. They wrote that the amendment would "repeal constitutional protections against gerrymandering" and "require" the new commission to gerrymander.
Proponents were furious. They sued. They called it "deceptive" and "unconstitutional." But the Ohio Supreme Court, in a 4-3 decision, let most of that language stand.
When people saw the word "gerrymander" associated with a "Yes" vote, they got spooked. If you hate gerrymandering, and the ballot tells you this amendment requires it, you're probably going to vote no. It’s that simple.
Money, Power, and the Trump Effect
While the "Yes" side had the national donor money, the "No" side had the heavy hitters at home. Governor Mike DeWine and Senator-elect Bernie Moreno were out there every day calling Issue 1 a "Democratic power grab."
And let's not forget Donald Trump.
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Trump won Ohio by about 11 points in 2024. He recorded ads telling his supporters to vote "No" on Issue 1. In a state that has turned deep red over the last decade, a Trump endorsement carries a ton of weight. Most of the rural counties that went for Trump also voted heavily against the redistricting reform.
A look at the map
If you look at the county-by-county breakdown of the issue 1 ohio 2024 results, it's a sea of red with a few blue islands.
- Franklin County (Columbus): Voted Yes.
- Cuyahoga County (Cleveland): Voted Yes.
- Hamilton County (Cincinnati): Voted Yes.
- Rural Ohio: Hard No.
In places like Mercer or Putnam counties, the "No" vote was overwhelming. People in those areas often viewed the commission as an "unelected, unaccountable" group of people who would take away the power of their local elected representatives.
What happens to Ohio's maps now?
Since Issue 1 failed, the current system stays in place. This means the same group of politicians who had seven sets of maps declared unconstitutional by the state supreme court in the previous cycle are still in charge.
Kinda ironic, right?
But there is a twist. Governor DeWine, who fought against Issue 1, actually admitted during the campaign that the current system is flawed. He has promised to look into an "Iowa-style" system for 2025. In Iowa, non-partisan staff draw the maps, but the legislature still gets the final vote.
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Whether that actually happens is anyone's guess. For now, the GOP-led commission keeps the pen.
The fallout for 2026 and beyond
The issue 1 ohio 2024 results mean that the 2026 midterms will likely be fought on the same maps we have now, or very similar ones. Democrats were hoping a win here would give them a shot at flipping more seats in the Statehouse or Congress. Instead, the Republican supermajority looks pretty safe for the foreseeable future.
It's also worth noting the sheer cost. Over $50 million total was spent on this one issue. That's a lot of money for a result that basically keeps things exactly the way they were.
What You Can Do Next
If you are a voter in Ohio or just someone interested in how these maps affect your life, there are a few ways to stay involved even after the issue 1 ohio 2024 results.
- Monitor the 2025 Legislative Session: Keep an eye on any "Iowa-style" redistricting bills that Governor DeWine or the GOP leadership might introduce.
- Check Your District: Use tools like Dave’s Redistricting or the Ohio Secretary of State website to see exactly which district you are in before the 2026 primary.
- Follow the Money: You can look up the campaign finance reports for both "Citizens Not Politicians" and "Ohio Works" on the Secretary of State’s website to see who really funded this fight.
The battle over Ohio’s borders isn’t over; it’s just moving from the ballot box back to the Statehouse.