Reply #18: Ohio, Issue 2. Ohioans will vote Nov. 8 on five constitutional amendments

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Issue 2 would allow early vote by mail or in person

Thursday, September 29, 2005

By MICHAEL J. MAURER
ThisWeek Staff Writer

Ohioans will vote Nov. 8 on five constitutional amendments, the most since 1976, when seven constitutional amendments were proposed, of which three passed and four failed.

Issue 1 is a combined renewal of public works bond authority for local government capital expenditures and new bond authority for high-technology companies.

Issue 2 authorizes mail-in or in-person early voting.

Issue 3 reduces the maximum amount of some campaign contributions.

Issue 4 removes redistricting authority from the General Assembly and establishes it with a commission.

Issue 5 removes elections administration authority from the secretary of state and establishes it with a commission.

Issue 2 is one of four proposed constitutional amendments placed on the ballot by initiative petition, with the purpose -- as described in the official ballot language -- "to expand to all electors the choice to vote by absentee ballot in all elections."

If approved, it would allow voters to vote by mail or in person as established by their county boards of elections during the 35 days preceding election day.

The approved, official language arguing in favor of the amendment states that long lines, bad weather and work conflicts discourage people from voting, that allowing voting by mail or in person will increase voter participation, and that voter participation will make government more accountable and "combat undue influence by a few and the corruption that currently pervades state governmen

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