DEFEAT ISSUE 1! 

The August 8 special election on Issue 1 is two weeks away. August elections used to be rare and not much to be excited about. This August election could not be more important. The choice is stark. A NO vote is a vote to retain the only means by which Ohioans can directly set state law and policy. A “yes” vote is a vote to give complete control of our state to politicians and very big money interests, such as the Illinois billionaire heavily funding the vote yes campaign. It is also rare that the correct vote in an election is as blatantly obvious as it is in this election. Defeating Issue 1 preserves a right Ohioans have had for over 100 years. Not even the proponents of Issue 1 have identified a single benefit ordinary Ohioans will receive if Issue 1 passes.

VOTE

If you have already voted NO on Issue 1, thank you. You have done a positive thing for our state. If you have not already voted NO on Issue 1, there is, of course, still time.  You can, of course, vote NO at your polling place on Election Day, August 8. Voters in Miami Township, Ohio Township, and Wayne Township should check your polling location on the Clermont County Board of Elections website, clermont-voterview.boe.ohio.gov/VoterView/PollingPlaceSearch.do. A few polling locations have changed.

You can also vote early in person at the Board of Elections at 76 S. Riverside Drive, Batavia, Ohio 45103.  Early hours over the next two weeks are:

July 24-28: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

July 31: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

August 1: 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.

August 2-4: 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

August 5: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

August 6: 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Remember, the General Assembly did away with early voting on the Monday before the election.

If you want an absentee ballot mailed to you, your request must be received by the Board of Elections by 4:00 p.m. on August 1, 2023. To be counted, mail ballots must either be postmarked no later than August 7, 2023, and received by the Board of Elections by August 12. Please remember that mail delivery has gotten slower. Please do not wait to mail in your ballot until August 7. You may also place your ballot in the drop box outside the Board of Elections office in Batavia no later than 7:30 p.m. on August 8.

HELP GET OUT THE VOTE

The August 8 election is all about getting people out to vote. A very effective way to do that is to knock on people’s doors and remind them. We still have doors to knock, particularly in Batavia Township, Pierce Township, and Union Township.  If you can knock on doors, please help! We have lists of names and addresses of likely No voters. We have literature you can give them or leave at their home if they are away. If you can help, please contact me: (513) 236-5426 or rlembke@fuse.net.

RUN!

Petitions for candidates to appear on the ballot on November 7, 2023, are due at the Board of Elections by 4:00 p.m. on August 9, 2023. In November, we will be electing school board members, township trustees and fiscal officers, and municipal council members. All of these offices provide important ways to give back to your community. Frankly, more people should be running for these offices to give voters a choice. If you are at all interested, please run. Please remember that time is very short to get your name on the ballot.

THE FAIR

The Clermont County Fair Parade happened Sunday, July 23 Owensville. As you might expect, there were a number of floats and vehicles festooned with material encouraging votes for Republican County officeholders who will be on the ballot next year.  However, there was also a float encouraging people to Vote NO on Issue 1, accompanied by walkers handing out Vote NO literature. Tremendous thanks to those who took part in this effort. The Clermont County Democratic Party has a permanent building at the Fair just across the walkway from the 4-H food service building. Our building will be staffed for most of the Fair. If you are at the Fair, please stop in.

Stay safe and vote NO on Issue 1!