Nov 2022 Get Out The Vote/Issue 1

How To Vote 11/4/2022

My first message is some basics on how to vote in Ohio considering that we are only 4 days from election day. Here are three possible options:

1) Take your absentee (mail in) ballot directly to the drop box at your county's Board of Elections Office. I only recommend this if you have already requested AND received your absentee (mail in) ballot already.

2) Vote Early and in-person at your county's Board of Elections. This is my most recommended option, but if you have already requested and/or received an absentee (mail in) ballot, I recommend option #1 OR talking with an election official to be sure there is no confusion with your ballot. I will send a link with the hours and other info on early, in-person voting next.

3) Vote on election day (Tues, Nov 8) at your designated polling location. Polls are open 6:30am-7:30pm.

Links to Official Ohio Voting Information 11/5/2022

Early, In-Person Voting Times and Locations:

(Your County Board of Elections Sun 11/6 1-5pm or Mon 11/7 8am-2pm)

https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/toolkit/early-voting/

Comprehensive Voting Information from OH Secretary of State:

https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/

View Your Sample Ballot

https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/toolkit/sample-ballot/

Track Your Absentee (Vote By Mail) Ballot:

https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/toolkit/ballot-tracking/

Cool Life of an Absentee Ballot Video produced by Ohio Secretary of State:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4Vz3r8QC6k&t=2s

How to return your Absentee Ballot if you have already received it:

Since we are so close to election, day, I recommend returning it in person at the board of elections drop box

https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/absentee-voting/

Identification Requirements for Ohio Voters:

https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/id-requirements/

Good To Know 11/5/22

• As of Sunday, Nov 6, Ohio voters may no longer REQUEST absentee (vote by mail) ballots. If you had previously requested an absentee ballot and received it, you can still use it to vote.

• If you have requested an absentee ballot, you can still vote in other ways, but it’s more complicated. If you vote early, in-person at the Board of Elections, be sure to let the election workers there know that you had requested an absentee ballot, but are not using it. If you can, bring it with you. If you vote at your local polling location on election day AND you had previously requested an absentee ballot, you will need to vote “provisionally.” You will still be able to vote and your vote will be counted, but you will use a provisional ballot which goes through some extra verifications to ensure you are not voting twice. Oftentimes this makes people nervous, but it is standard process. I recommend avoiding this situation if you can, but definitely still vote!

• ID Needed to Vote: Even if you have no ID at all, you are still able to complete and present your ballot on election day or at early in-person voting. However, in order for your ballot to be counted, you must present Valid ID at some point. It’s easiest if you just have it with you when you vote, but you can alternatively vote provisionally and then present your valid ID later (within 7 days) in order to have your ballot counted.

Ohio Issue 1 - My Opinion 11/5/22

I personally am opposed (voting No) on Statewide Ohio Issue #1, and here is why:

When someone is arrested in Ohio and accused of a crime, there is an initial decision made by the court: Is that individual eligible at all to be released from jail prior to their trial beginning in court. Currently in Ohio, this decision is made via certain requirements and processes. Public Safety (as well as many other things) is already considered when this decision is made. Ohio Issue #1 does not address this decision whatsoever and this will not change regardless of whether or not Issue #1 passes or fails.

Issue #1 proposes changing Ohio’s governing law (Constitution and Revised Code) with regards to a second decision that is only made if an arrested/charged individual is determined to be eligible to be released at all. Currently, if the individual is deemed eligible for release by the first decision, then the second decision is made. This decision determines the “Qualifications of Release.” A judge may impose a wide range of qualifications (stipulations) for an individual to be allowed out of jail while awaiting their trial. These can include things like GPS ankle monitors, employment requirements, reporting regularly to a caseworker, enrolling in a rehab program, restriction from certain areas or from contacting certain people, etc. It also could include a deposit of cash bail.

What Issue #1 will do, if passed, is require that judges consider “public safety” not only in Decision #1, but also in the part of decision #2 where they determine the amount, if any, of cash bail required for release from jail prior to completion of the trial (a time when everyone is actually “innocent until proven guilty”).

What Issue #1 will do if passed is allow judges to assign much higher cash bail amounts with very little explanation or transparency, allowing them to bypass the first decision described above (which requires more documentation and transparency) and simply assign a super high bail. This opens a door for bias, prejudice, and inconsistency. It increases the likelihood that people who should be released will sit in jail simply because they are poor AND the possibility that people who are a danger to public safety will be let out on the streets because they do have access to a lot of money to buy their release. Both of these things actually decrease our overall public safety. Not only will Issue #1 make us all less safe (strike 1), it also will cost Ohio taxpayers more money because holding people who should be released in jail simply because they are poor is very expensive for the government (strike 2), and it also creates an unfair, unlevel playing field where citizens can be abused more easily and money more influence on justice (strike 3).

In my opinion, money really shouldn’t be part of the criminal justice/public safety equation at all. You are either dangerous and/or a flight risk or you are not dangerous or a flight risk. Kapow. It’s that simple.

Strike 4(!): All that being said, one more item in Issue #1 makes it a no-brainer No vote for me: It drastically weakens the authority of the Ohio Supreme Court and increases the power of the State Legislature demonstrably in the process of criminal justice. It is essentially a “wolf” (power grab by one party in the state legislature) hidden in the sheep’s clothing of “public safety.”

Issue #1 was placed on the Ohio ballot by the General Assembly (Ohio Senate and Ohio House of Representatives). Because of gerrymandering, the Ohio House of Representatives is composed of 66 Republicans and 33 Democrats. The Ohio State Senate is 25 Republicans and 7 Democrats. Every single Republican in both chambers voted to put Issue #1 on the Ballot. Every Single Democrat voted against.

You will see the following verbatim words on your ballot as part of Issue 1:

1. Remove the requirement that the procedures for establishing the amount and conditions of bail be determined by the Supreme Court of Ohio.

2. Require Ohio courts, when setting the amount of bail, to consider public safety, including the seriousness of the offense*, as well as a person's criminal record*, the likelihood a person will return to court*, and any other factor the Ohio General Assembly may prescribe.

*These three factors (seriousness of the offense, criminal record of the accused, and likelihood the accused will return to court) are Already Required by the Current Ohio Constitution to be considered when assigning the amount of bail. Issue 1 does not address these at all. It leaves them exactly as they are and will remain regardless of the election results. Placing these words on the ballot is an attempt to confuse the voter. Issue #1 only adds “public safety” and “any other factor the Ohio General Assembly may prescribe” (i.e. whatever supermajority Republicans want to add) to the considerations on the amount of cash bail.

Here is a helpful link to a lot of information on Ohio Issue #1, 2022:

https://ballotpedia.org/Ohio_Issue_1,_Determining_Bail_Amount_Based_on_Public_Safety_Amendment_(2022)