June 27, 2019
OEC Statement on the US Supreme Court’s Opinions on Partisan Gerrymandering and the 2020 Census Citizenship question
Columbus, OH– The Ohio Environmental Council released the following statement Thursday after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decisions on multiple cases regarding gerrymandering and the 2020 Census. The following statement can be attributed in full, or in part, to Emily Bacha, Communications Director for the Ohio Environmental Council:
“These two decisions not only impact the voices of Ohioans, but harm our environment and the long-term action needed to combat climate change. With unfair congressional districts and a potentially poor census process, elected leaders and federal resources will not be directed to address our country’s and world’s greatest threat—climate change.
“The gerrymandering ruling is another blow to our democracy. After the people of Ohio overwhelming organized, mobilized, and voted for comprehensive and bipartisan congressional redistricting reform last year, this is a blatant attempt to silence the voices of those that live across the Buckeye State. Importantly, this ruling doesn’t change the fact that an overwhelming majority of Ohio voters have twice made clear that fair districts are critically important to our democracy.
“However, by remanding the decision to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census, the Court did provide the space for the Trump Administration to drop its political agenda designed to divide our country and create an undercount in communities across our great nation. Continued concern about the potential of a citizenship question will continue to erode trust in the census and increase the likelihood of an unacceptable undercount.
“The Ohio Environmental Council not only ensures our air, land, and water are safe and healthy, but also works to ensure that the rights of Ohio’s communities are safe and healthy. We believe that all Ohioans should have fair representation and that every Ohioan has their right to vote protected, easy and accessible voting access, and the confidence that their vote will count. Ohioans, our environment, and the state’s conservation movement are better off when our voices are heard, and that can be achieved when we empower our diverse electorate.”