To the Editor:
Like many voters in both parties, I’m drawn to more moderate voices and put off by extremists.
So why is it so hard to elect bipartisan problem-solvers?
Social media play a role, elevating divisive zealots who appeal to anger and fear. So does the primary-election system, in which a minority of activists in a low-turnout primary can choose candidates who might not otherwise win broad support.
But if those candidates don’t have broad appeal, why do they often go on to win?
One factor is gerrymandering. When politicians grotesquely manipulate district boundaries so as to guarantee dominance by their own party, the primary election becomes all important.
In a gerrymandered district, the general election is often meaningless. So too often we end up with more extreme partisans who won’t compromise or work across the aisle on behalf of the public good.
That’s one reason why I’m voting yes on Issue 1 this year. Ohio is one of the most gerrymandered states in the country.
If passed, Issue 1 would remove politicians and lobbyists from the process of drawing district lines, replacing them with a citizen commission and a fair, open process. The result would be a more democratic state – and maybe one with a greater chance for candidates who appeal to the broad middle.
Daniel Laskin
Mount Vernon, Ohio