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**
SPECIAL GENERAL ELECTION RECAP **
DID
ANYONE GET THE NUMBER OF THAT BUS?
With very little warning – recent polls suggested two of the issues
enjoyed the support of around 60% of likely voters – Ohioans stepped
into voting booths yesterday and overwhelmingly voted “No, No,
No and No” on Issues 2-5. The rejection of the package of so-called
reforms was so huge that none of the four carried so much as a single
county.
Issue 2, which would have permitted qualified electors to vote in person
at their county board of elections, or by mail, anytime during the 35
days prior to an election, was defeated 63%-37%.
Issue 3, which would have reduced campaign contribution limits and banned
corporate contributions, was defeated 67%-33%.
Both Issue 4, which would have created an Independent Redistricting
Commission to approve the shape, size, and composition of Ohio’s
congressional and General Assembly districts, and Issue 5, which would
have established an Independent State Board of Elections Supervisors
charged with administering state elections, were defeated 70%-30%.
The rout of Issue 3, which was opposed by the Ohio Chamber of Commerce
and virtually all other major business organizations, is a significant
victory for business. Though proponents tried to convince voters that
it would stop the influence of big money in elections, it really would
have allowed labor unions to give ten times more money to candidates
than individuals or any other group.
In the end, Ohioans understood that the Reform Ohio Now proposals were,
at best, poorly written and too rigid to be placed in the Constitution
or, at worst, an attempt by organized labor and liberal special interest
groups to rewrite election laws to benefit their handpicked candidates.
JOBS
FOR OHIO PREVAILS
The sole statewide ballot issue to pass yesterday was Issue 1, a $2
billion bond package to help fund infrastructure improvements, technology
research and development, and job-ready work sites.
Issue 1 received 54 percent of the vote and is seen by supporters, including
the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, as a way to help preserve and improve
Ohio’s existing excellent infrastructure system and expand the
state’s ability to create and compete for the good-paying jobs
of the future.
The issue passed largely on the strength of its support in the state’s
metropolitan areas, winning in 11 of the 12 largest counties. The combined
“Yes” vote margin of 224,224 votes in these 11 counties was
enough to provide the difference. Issue 1 failed in 36 counties, many
of which are in the southwestern part of the state.
Though the pro-Issue 1 campaign, led by Jobs for Ohio, attempted to
minimize the Third Frontier component of the bond package, which totaled
$500 million, it was this component that likely kept Issue 1 from winning
by an even more comfortable margin.
When the Third Frontier was on the ballot as a stand-alone initiative
in 2003, it failed 51%-49% and carried just 15 counties. This time,
when coupled with money for popular infrastructure projects, it carried
52 counties.
MALLORY
WINS, HAGAN LOSES MAYORAL BIDS
Two incumbent members of the Ohio Senate were on the ballot this year
as candidates for mayor. One, Sen. Mark Mallory (D-Cincinnati), was
victorious. The other, Sen. Bob Hagan (D-Youngstown), was not.
In Cincinnati, Mallory won a narrow 52%-48% victory over Cincinnati
Councilman David Pepper in a race between fellow Democrats. Mallory
was outspent 3-to-1. In early October, he was endorsed by all but one
member – Democrats and Republicans alike – of the Hamilton
County state legislative delegation.
Mallory, who would have been unable to run for re-election to the Senate
next year due to term limits, will need to resign from the Senate in
order to take office in January. Speculation has already begun as to
who might be in line to replace Mallory in the Senate. All three of
the House members in the 9th Senate district – Reps. Catherine
Barrett, Steve Driehaus, and Tyrone Yates – are Democrats and all
are believed to have an interest in the appointment. Also mentioned
as a possible replacement is Alicia Reece, a member of the Cincinnati
City Council who also ran for mayor this year. She finished fourth in
the September primary.
In Youngstown, voters elected the city’s first-ever black mayor
and first independent candidate in 80 years. Jay Williams, a former
director of Youngstown’s Community Development Agency who was backed
by the Youngstown business community, captured 52% of the vote in a
six-person race.
Hagan, who also faces term limits next year, finished second with 40%.
NOW
THAT THAT’S OUT OF THE WAY…
With the filing deadline for next year’s elections about three
months away, P.a.C.E. has been keeping an eye on candidates who are
believed to be interested in running for the Ohio legislature in 2006.
Here’s a recap of how some potential General Assembly candidates
fared yesterday in their bids for local office.
Senate District 13: Jack Kilroy (D-Avon) failed in his attempt to win
an at-large seat on the Avon City Council. He finished fourth among
seven candidates for three seats, falling 40 votes shy of third place.
Kilroy, who lost a campaign last year for the Democratic nomination
for Lorain County Commissioner, is a possible candidate in the race
to succeed term-limited Sen. Jeff Armbruster (R-N. Ridgeville).
House District 16: Pamela Bobst (R) won re-election to the Rocky River
Council. She was the leading vote-getter among three candidates for
three at-large seats. She is a potential candidate in the Republican
primary in the district currently held by Rep. Sally Kilbane (R-Rocky
River). Kilbane is term-limited.
House District 61: Alliance City Councilman Randy Pope (R), who is a
likely candidate for the Ohio House next year, was ousted in his bid
to win a second term as Ward 3 councilman. He lost 567 votes to 491
votes, or 54%-46%. Pope was incumbent Rep. John Boccieri’s (D-New
Middletown) opponent in 2004 and 2002, losing both times.
House District 64: John Homlitas (R-Warren) was unopposed as Warren
City Treasurer. A current ward councilman, Homlitas is a potential challenger
in 2006 to freshman Rep. Randy Law (R-Warren).
House District 64: Another potential Law opponent next year, Jeff Hovanic
(D-Warren), was a runaway victor in his re-election campaign for Champion
Township trustee. He finished first in an eight-person field for two
seats.
House District 92: Re-elected to another term as Athens Ward 4 Councilwoman
was Deborah Phillips (D-Athens). Phillips, an associate professor of
speech communications at Muskingum College, is a likely candidate against
Rep. Jimmy Stewart (R-Athens).
AROUND
THE STATE
Springfield Issue 9 – On the ballot in Springfield was a proposal
to change the city charter to create an independent hospital oversight
commission. The proposal was defeated, 55%-45%.
The effort was largely an attempt by the Service Employees International
Union (S.E.I.U.) to embarrass the city’s hospitals, run by Community
Mercy Health Partners, into permitting S.E.I.U. to organize hospital
employees without a vote.
The proposed three-member Hospital Accountability Commission would have
had broad powers to investigate and audit the hospitals and be operated
at the city’s expense. The S.E.I.U. is reported to have spent well
in excess of $100,000 in support of Issue 9.
Were it to have passed, hospitals were concerned that the Springfield
proposal would have spread to other communities across the state and
beyond.
Oberlin Living Wage – Voters in Oberlin, a small community in Lorain
County, rejected a city charter change that would have established a
living wage mandate. The vote was 66%-34%. It would have applied to
companies seeking to do business with the city and would have forced
them to pay their employees $11.50 per hour if the company provides
health care benefits and $13 per hour if it does not.
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