Sun 11/23 @ 12:30-2PM

Something every Ohioan who has any gripe about the way the state is governed should be paying attention to is gerrymandering: the dark art of carving out congressional and state legislative districts to benefit the party in power to keep them in power. Carried to extremes, as it has been in Ohio, it’s the end of democracy. One party wields so much power that the voices of citizens no longer count.

That’s why a program such as “Map Craft: The Art of Gerrymandering,” taking place at the SouthWest Unitarian Church in North Royalton, are so essential. Co-hosted by the church and Ohio Ballot Protection, a grassroots group dedicated to working for fair representation in Ohio, the program will explain how districts are drawn and how they work to assure that the party in control stays in control and that politicians are guaranteed election in lopsided districts. There will also be interactive games to show how the maps influence what happens in Ohio and why popular policies are ignored or overruled while things the voters said they didn’t like — such as legislators controlling women’s reproductive choices or underfunding public schools — are still being pushed in the legislature.

“We the people have a lot more influence over the future of our state than we might realize,” says Ohio Ballot Protection co-chair Laura Lucarelli. “Come down and learn what you can do to change the system.”

There will also be free cookies; register to make sure they bake enough. Email OhioBallotProtection@gmail.com. It’s free and all are welcome. Bring the older kids; they should know about this so they can help make the system fairer.