WEEKLY VOTING NEWSLETTER

Happy summer (officially)! So far, the news in Ohio is almost completely focused on the August election and its high stakes—but check out a few articles on some other things related to voting in Ohio, including new maps (remember those unconstitutional voting maps???) and possible changes to how Ohio voters participate in primaries. Please continue to spread the word about the August 8 election—don’t worry about being a nudge or being too annoying! We’re sharing a link (in the Actions section) that you can share with people that might need to register to vote or update their voter registration.  Have new neighbors? Welcome them and share the link! The July 10 registration deadline is quickly approaching!

 

On a national level, we had more good news as SCOTUS just ruled that Louisiana’s voting maps are racially gerrymandered. Similar to the ruling against Alabama earlier this month, Louisiana must redraw their maps to create more “majority minority” maps that more closely reflect the proportion of Black voters in the state.

 

Also, an official welcome to our new PTV committee co-chair, Laurie Ronis.  As a longtime member of the Ohio League of Women Voters, Laurie brings a wealth of knowledge and a lot of passion to our efforts to promote and protect the vote. Laurie also has a lot of experience working with young people, and we know we have a huge opportunity to register young people and get them to vote. We’re both looking forward to sharing ideas and letting you know about upcoming opportunities to increase young voter turnout in the Cleveland area.

 

As always, thank you for advocacy and engagement!

 

Jodi (she/her) and Laurie (she/her), PTV co-chairs

 

 

Reminders and Upcoming Events

Vote No Yard signs are coming! Several of you have asked if we will be getting signs to give out. We have ordered 100 non-partisan Vote No signs and will let you know as soon as they are available to pick up at the NCJW office and possibly at a few homes. We should have more details to share next week, so please stay tuned!

Actions You Can Take This Week

Share this link https://olvr.ohiosos.gov/ with friends, family, and neighbors that might not be registered to vote or need to update their registration (or simply to check and make sure your registration is active and accurate). If you have a current Ohio Driver’s License of an official Ohio issued ID card, you can register online to vote in Ohio. The deadline to vote for the August 8election is July 10.

 

Make preparations now to be sure you can vote.https://enewspd.cleveland.com/data/35795/reader/reader.html?social#!preferred/0/package/35795/pub/59026/page/31/content/1777794

 

Ohio Voting News and Views: August Elections, State Issue 1, Abortion Rights Amendment

 

High court clears August election in Ohio, says lawmakers within rights to violate law they passed

 

Voter deadlines approaching for Ohio’s August special election

 

Board of Elections prepares for special voting in August 

 

State Issue 1 would make Ohio one of the toughest states for citizens to propose constitutional amendments

 

Ohio Issue 1 latest example of sliding government accountability, transparency 

 

“Everyone’s at stake if Issue 1 passes; it is an overreach of government control.” Said Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women Voters in Ohio. If passed, the bill could have severe issues for unions, especially construction groups leading to lost jobs, stopped statewide bond issues and a rise in taxes, she said.

https://www.morningjournal.com/2023/06/24/union-members-gather-in-amherst-to-alert-residents-of-august-election/?fbclid=IwAR2RNVLRs0FaQxHLeCyyGehih3npcNo84P0Nq0c8Noq4d8HyhtFZDr-azNI_aem_AVQZublPuzVgLwrALRWPyNgvaP6VNpDJbgeozTbuThJlFQmxxOsCW5SEDBTyalWDZCY&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

 

With abortion rights on the line, an August special election has Ohio election offices scrambling

 

Advocates in Ohio push to get constitutional amendment on abortion on November ballot 

 

Ohio’s Issue 1 vote could have national repercussions on abortion issue: The Wake Up for Monday, June 26, 2023 

 

A year after the fall of Roe v. Wade, August election makes Ohio ‘ground zero’ in abortion fight 

 

A ballot language mix-up, a debate in Columbus and the national stakes for abortion rights: State Issue 1 recap

 

Ohio GOP try to make it harder to amend the state’s constitution to target abortion access

 

Gathering signatures to put abortion amendment on November ballot is ‘going very well’

 

Both sides of abortion issue claim misconduct in signature-gathering push

 

Ohio Democrats collect more than 100,000 signatures for abortion-rights measure

 

 

Ohio Voting News and Views: Redistricting, Election Laws, and Other News

 

Ohio redistricting slated for later this summer, maps in September, Senate president predicts

 

Ohio lawmakers look to change rules for voting in primary elections

 

Want to vote in Ohio primaries? You may have to register with a political party in advance. 

https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/politics/2023/06/19/ohio-lawmakers-unveil-bill-to-require-party-registration-for-primaries/70321813007/

 

National Voting News and Views

 

States with low election turnout did little in 2023 to expand voting access

 

Supreme Court unfreezes Louisiana redistricting case that could boost power of Black voters

 

Supreme Court allows for Louisiana congressional map to be redrawn to add another majority-Black district

 

Republicans move to exert new control of election oversight ahead of 2024

 

Phoenix’s county recorder Stephen Richer’s suit names Lake and her political action committees, Kari Lake Fund for Arizona and Save Arizona Fund, alleging that they were “engaging in a concerted campaign to defame, threaten and isolate me.” 

https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/4063615-maricopa-county-recorder-sues-kari-lake-for-defamation/?fbclid=IwAR2LwJk9C7jo_USdp4D760GHB-MRen_-odYphLJ0BX_q1MBo89BUXviLFrU_aem_th_AXbb6SjBLSHwTUWryHqcD6veFq9djyFy9njg69_o1zoXOE-NR99PEtBGB05fH4solLU&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

 

10 Years After SCOTUS Gutted Voting Rights Act, Alabama Turnout Gap Is Worse.

 https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/10-years-after-scotus-gutted-voting-rights-act-alabama-turnout-gap-worse?fbclid=IwAR3azcPhjzzm9K184CJ_fMmpzwgP2oNxC8_SfKtBSGNQbFYHf7zjGkxZQ6M_aem_th_ARRRXM657XXdFhUUWAUIunkIJ0Uuhpuah-V3KPVgG0D6T_obV2_OQkhRJFbsXPH51mU&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

 

A legal campaign against universities and think tanks seeks to undermine the fight against false claims about elections, vaccines and other hot political topics. G.O.P. Targets Researchers Who Study Disinformation Ahead of 2024 Election