Petee Talley- Toledo, Ohio
Petee Talley of Toledo, Ohio is one of the plaintiffs suing the Ohio Redistricting Commission over gerrymandered legislative maps.
“Gerrymandering is very dangerous to our democracy. It has not led to the best outcomes on issues Ohioans care about, and it has undermined the voices of Black voters.”
After retiring from a 38-year career advocating on behalf of workers’ rights across Michigan and Ohio, I decided to devote my time to helping black voters civically engage in elections across our state. I’m now the CEO of the Ohio Coalition on Black Civic Participation, a state affiliate of the National Unity Voter Empowerment Campaign convened by the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation.
Fair maps are important so we can have balanced policy discussions and debates at the state and federal levels, and to ensure that all communities are represented. When maps are gerrymandered to favor one party or another, we’re not able to hear the real pro’s and con’s of policies and legislation because lawmakers get bogged down in partisanship. They’re more concerned about advancing their own political agendas, so they never really get to understand how different communities could be affected.
Gerrymandering is very dangerous to our democracy. It has not led to the best outcomes on issues Ohioans care about, and it has undermined the voices of Black voters while shaping the laws that affect our lives each and every day. Many voters can become apathetic and disengaged when their voices are ignored, making it harder for organizations like mine to convince more folks to participate in the democratic process.
Redistricting can be a tough topic to talk about, but it’s important people understand why it’s so critical to our democracy and the health of our communities. We have to hold politicians’ feet to the fire and remind them that no one is above the constitution. The best way to do this is to exercise our right to vote. If we choose not to vote, we’re giving up our power and making it even harder for our communities to get the services and resources they need. I really encourage everyone to pay attention and get engaged--not just for the presidential election, but for all the state and local elections in between. This is the only way we’re going to get real change.
