Nearly 58% of Portage County voters said "no" on Issue 1, defeating a Republican-backed initiative that would have made it harder for citizens to organize and approve ballot measures, according to unofficial results from the Portage County Board of Elections.
Early voting starts July 11 at the Portage County Board of Elections, 449 S. Meridian St., Ravenna. On Aug. 8, Election Day, polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Each day I am bombarded with messages “vote yes for Issue 1!” Are we to vote stupidly in August because we might vote stupidly in November? Must we diminish the strength of our votes to protect ourselves from ourselves? An August bogeyman will defend us from a November one?
The Portage County Board of Elections released the unofficial final results of the May 2 election, which saw a voter turnout of about 14% and a total of 5,029 ballots cast.
Ohio lawmakers are considering a measure that would restructure the state’s tax code. And, if passed, it could mean less money in the coffers of local governments and less money in the pockets of lower income earners.
All eligible voters in Portage County should be aware that another voter purge has occurred in Ohio. More than 1,600 voters in our county have been removed from the voter register. This could be for many reasons, including no voting activity in the past four years, incorrect addresses on the official record, etc.
Portage County voters can find out how recent changes in Ohio election laws will affect them at three public meetings that will take place March 27, 29 and 30 in Ravenna, Aurora and Kent.
Doria Daniels has served on the Portage County Board of Elections since 2015, and Janet Esposito has served as Portage County Auditor since 1994. On Feb. 22, the two women met in one of their final official acts together as public servants.
Kent City Council Member Garret Ferrara, who has served Ward 1 since 2000, announced he will not seek re-election when his term expires next year.
Filing deadlines are coming up for candidates in dozens of local elections, from city and village councils to township offices and school boards. (See all the filing deadlines at the bottom of this article.) Elected officials throughout Portage County and others are urging more people to get involved in local races and to vote in them.
So I started my day outside Silver Creek Church in Aurora. No lines, and half the people exiting from voting agreed to speak with me. The other half said they had to get back to work.
Republicans will control the Board of Portage County Commissioners, the Auditor’s Office and both state House of Representatives districts after voters in the county decided overwhelmingly for GOP candidates in Tuesday’s midterm elections.