Ohio Elections 2018: Be Informed and VOTE
Blog
October 5, 2018 |
November 6, 2018, known as the “Mid-Term Election”, marks the halfway point through the presidential 4-year term.
Important dates to know:
October 9, 2018 – Last Day to Register to Vote
- You can now register to vote online by clicking this link:
October 10, 2018 – Early Voting Begins
- Contact your local county Board of Elections to learn times and location.
November 6, 2018 – Election Day
What to expect at the ballot box:
There will be a new Governor in Ohio in 2019. The two major party candidates vying for the position are current Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine (R) and the former Director of the Federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Richard Cordray (D).
A term-limited officeholder is also vacating every other statewide office in Ohio.
The Office of the Ohio Attorney General, which serves as the lawyer for the state and provides consumer protection, oversees charitable activity, houses the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation and much more is being sought by former U.S. Attorney Steve Dettelbach (D) and current Ohio Auditor Dave Yost (R).
The Office of the Ohio Secretary of State, which is in charge of elections, campaign finance, and business services in Ohio, is being sought by State Senator Frank LaRose (R) and State Representative Kathleen Clyde (D).
Candidates for the offices of the Ohio Auditor and the Ohio Treasurer will also be on the ballot.
At the Federal level, all 16 Ohio Congressional seats are on the ballot and one U.S. Senate seat. Congressman Jim Renacci (R) is challenging current U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D).
Finally, State Issue 1, “The Neighborhood Safety, Drug Treatment, and Rehabilitation Amendment” will be on the ballot to reduce penalties for crimes of obtaining, possessing, and using illegal drugs.
Proponents of State Issue 1 say the proposal changes the lowest level simple drug possession felony offenses to misdemeanors, so those low-level crimes will face graduated sanctions and county jail, instead of wasting costly state prisons on people with addiction.
Opponents of State Issue 1 say that it will have catastrophic consequences for our state. If it passes, Ohio may have some of the most lenient drug crime laws in the nation. We could easily become a magnet for substance abuse activity because there will be very little consequence to engaging in such behavior.
Contact your County Board of Elections to learn more and don’t forget to VOTE!
