Are you familiar with Mercer County, Ohio? It is on the Indiana border about half-way down the state. You should get to know this county, because people in Mercer will be helping us choose which candidate should represent Bowling Green in the U.S. House of Representatives.
New congressional districts were created, and Bowling Green is now in a district that stretches from the Indiana border to Lorain County, and as far south as Mercer. Once again, we will not be in a district with Toledo. I love our small town, but I sometimes travel to Toledo to buy something I can’t find locally. When my mother-in-law suffered a near-fatal stroke, we took her to the Wood County hospital, but the ER staff transferred her to Toledo. Toledo is very important to my quality of life, and I could more effectively advocate for Toledo if we were in the same congressional district. Why put Bowling Green in a district with Mercer County?
When Toledo’s drinking water was contaminated by toxic algae, it impacted my life, but I bet few people in Mercer County were paying attention. Residents of Lorain County are more concerned about what happens to neighboring Cleveland than to faraway Toledo.
Ohio citizens voted for redistricting reforms that would prevent communities from being split, but this goal is not being fulfilled. Instead of considering how district maps impact the lives of the residents, the mapmakers seem more concerned about maintaining their political power. Our constitution states that district plans should not favor or disfavor a political party, but the new plans show an obvious political bias.
Please contact Governor DeWine and tell him to veto the new congressional district plan.
Debbie Dalke
Bowling Green
