The Second Ohio Primary Election

The August 2 primary is one week away. Indications are that turnout will be low, but maybe not as low as some of us expected. I’m still hearing recent stories of exceptionally long times between mail being sent and delivered. If you have a mail-in ballot you should think about taking it to the Board of Elections during business hours or dropping it in the drop-box right outside the Board’s office at 22 Riverside Drive Batavia any time up to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. Remember, only the voter or a member of her immediate family may legally take a voted ballot to the Board or the drop-box.

There is still plenty of time to vote early in-person at the Board of Election office. The office will be open for early voting today (July 26) through Friday (July 29) from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Saturday, July 30 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Sunday, July 31 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; and Monday, August 1 from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 2, Election Day, you can vote at your polling place between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.

If you live in Ohio House of Representatives District 62, the northern part of Clermont County, which includes Loveland, Milford, Owensville, Goshen Township, Miami Township, Stonelick Township, and Union Township. Your Democratic candidate for the Ohio House is Brian Flick. One vote puts Brian on the November ballot to challenge incumbent Jean Schmidt. However, a strong showing in the primary will help Brian’s campaign for November. If Brian is on your ballot, please vote for him.

The other Ohio House of Representatives district in Clermont County is District 63 which includes the southern part of Clermont County and all of Brown County.  The Clermont County part of District 63 includes Batavia Township, Batavia Village, Bethel, Chilo, Felicity, Franklin Township, Jackson Township, Monroe Township, Moscow, Neville, New Richmond, Ohio Township, Pierce Township, Tate Township, Washington Township, Wayne Township, Williamsburg Township, and Williamsburg Village.

Your Democratic primary ballot in District 63 does not show a candidate for state representative. Instead, there is a space for a write-in. Richard J. Perry, previously our candidate for county commissioner, has qualified as the write-in candidate for his nomination. We are required to get Rich at least 50 votes to get his name on the November general election ballot. If we don’t, right-wing Republican incumbent Adam Bird will be running for re-election unopposed. If you live in District 63, it is vital that you vote in the Democratic primary and that you write-in Richard Perry for state representative.  Those of us who live in District 63 are entitled to a choice for state representative. Please write-in Rich Perry to give us that choice.

Why a Second Primary?

The reason we are having a second primary is because the Republican dominated Ohio Redistricting Commission repeatedly drew Ohio House and Ohio Senate districts which the Ohio Supreme Court held to be in violation of the Ohio Constitution. Republicans got a federal court in Columbus to rule that primary elections for those offices must go forward using the Republicans’ maps whether or not those maps violate fundamental Ohio law. However, this litigation prevented primary candidates for state house and state senate from being on the May primary ballot. Hence, we are having a second primary election in August to determine candidates for state house and state senate. We’re also electing men and women to the two parties’ state central committees because state central committee members are elected from the state senate districts. Unfortunately we do not have Democratic candidates on the ballot for state senate.

A Covid Reminder

Just a reminder that Covid is still around and the pandemic has not ended.  I had this fact powerfully brought home to me when I became ill and tested positive for Covid last Saturday evening. I do not have the kind of Covid that puts you in the hospital on a respirator, far from. I have had the Moderna vaccine, both shots and a booster.  Still, my relatively “mild” case of Covid is intensely unpleasant, painful, and disruptive. Check with your health care provider or the CDC for the most recent advice on minimizing your risk of infection.  You don’t want anything to do with this disease.

Stay safe.