According to the petition, the official title was "An amendment to replace the current politician-run redistricting process with a citizen-led commission required to create fair state legislative and congressional districts through a more open and independent system.

"[2][3] The proposed amendment would have set up a 15-member commission, narrowed from a larger pool by retired judges, to draw the district maps for Ohio statehouse and U.S. Congressional elections.

[4] The proponents said that the law would end gerrymandering and "ban current or former politicians, political party officials and lobbyists from sitting on the Commission.

"[5] Opponents argued it would create an unelected commission unaccountable to voters and was an attempt by Democrats to gain more seats in Congress and the statehouse.

[6] Despite seeking to end gerrymandering, the certified ballot language noted that the amendment would "repeal constitutional protections against gerrymandering approved by nearly three-quarters of Ohio electors participating in the statewide elections of 2015 and 2018, and eliminate the longstanding ability of Ohio citizens to hold their representatives accountable for establishing fair state legislative and congressional districts.

In 2021-2022, this Redistricting Commission drew new statehouse district maps, which were opposed by Democrats and rejected five times in 4-3 votes by the Ohio Supreme Court.

The swing vote in these rulings was cast by Maureen O'Connor, a longtime Republican but critic of Donald Trump (January 12, February 7, March 16, April 14, 2022).

[12] Issue 1 also emerged in the context of rising concern about elections, redistricting, and, more specifically, similar ballot initiative efforts in other states.

[14] The campaign gained support from two retired Ohio Supreme Court justices, Maureen O'Connor and Yvette McGee-Brown, a Republican and a Democrat.

It claimed that "Ohio is one of the most gerrymandered states in America," as evidenced by seven Supreme Court rulings that maps under the existing system were unconstitutional.

[18] In its explanation document for Issue 1, the Citizens Not Politicians campaign submitted 7 quotations from media, experts, and business leaders.

It said accountability would be impaired because of the commission selection process, the lack of citizen member qualifications, the ability to spend state money, and the use of outside consultants.

On October 17, 2024, a bipartisan group of Black leaders led by Republican State Senator Michelle Reynolds came out in opposition to the proposed amendment.

Instead of ensuring fairer maps, the reform could fragment cohesive minority voting blocks, diluting our political influence.

"[43] Elected officials Individuals Organizations The Ohio Attorney General, Republican Dave Yost, twice rejected the proposed amendment before the Citizens Not Politicians campaign could gather signatures for their petition.

"[55]The lawsuit itself opens by contrasting Issue 1's section 6(B), ""[B]an partisan gerrymandering and prohibit the use of redistricting plans that favor one political party and disfavor others" with the Board's summary wording, ""Establish a new taxpayer-funded commission of appointees required to gerrymander the boundaries of state legislative and congressional districts to favor either of the two largest political parties in the state of Ohio.

Opponents say that "The campaign's [ballot summary] language ignores, conceals, or in legal terms, materially omits, much of what the Constitutional Amendment would actually do."

[60] Speaking for the opposition to the initiative, Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman said, "Voters recognized that establishing an unelected, unaccountably 4th branch of government under Issue 1 was a very bad idea.