There are just nine days left until the Nov. 6 election and it’s been a long campaign season.

For many political folks, this election cycle has been the longest in memory, effectively beginning more than a year ago when Republican presidential hopefuls started their campaigns.

In Ohio, the filing deadline for partisan races was 11 months ago, with the filing deadline just weeks after the November election. Many local campaigns kicked off shortly afterward.

Ohio has a reputation as a swing state and that is reflected by the enormous amount of advertising — much of it negative — conducted during the presidential campaign and the tight race for U.S. Senate between incumbent Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, and Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, a Republican.

With 18 electoral votes at stake, Ohio continues to be a central focus for incumbent President Barack Obama and Republican nominee Mitt Romney. We’ve seen more than five dozen visits from presidential campaigns during this election cycle in Ohio.

That’s because both sides know how critical the state could be for victory, especially since no GOP nominee has ever been elected president without carrying Ohio. No Democrat has done so since 1960 when President John F. Kennedy was elected.

There are only a handful of states considered by polls to be a toss up —  Ohio, Florida, Colorado, Iowa, Nevada, Virginia and Wisconsin. Most other states are considered to lean or be solidly in one candidate’s corner.

With that in mind, for months Ohio airwaves have been flooded with commercials and continuous coverage by national talk shows and news media that dissect every bit of the presidential campaign and that includes the three presidential debates and one vice presidential debate.

This all continues even as many people have made up their mind in Ohio because absentee voting by mail and in-person began Oct. 2. Nearly two million voters in the state have already utilized this option, reports Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted.

Many local candidates have concluded or will soon wrap up their fundraising and now concentrate on using their remaining time and resources to let people know just a little bit more about them with the hope they’ll remember their name at the polls.

There’s been a lot of knocking on doors, parade marching, phone calls, literature drops and candidate forums and debates.

That election season is slowly coming to a close and soon it will be time to learn just how all that effort pays off.

J.C. Watts appearing in Mentor

Former U.S. Rep. J.C. Watts, of Oklahoma, a former college football quarterback and conservative Republican, speaks today in Mentor with the Concerned Veterans for America bus tour titled, “We Can Do Better”.

The event will be held from 4 to 5:30 p.m. at the Mentor Civic Center Amphitheater as part of a 10-day East Coast bus tour of decorated military veterans traveling through campaign “swing states” prior to Election Day to generate awareness of the mounting challenges facing service members returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and veterans of all generations.

The bus tour, sponsored by Concerned Veterans for America will allow veterans and voters in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Ohio and across the nation to hear directly from leaders in the veterans’ community about critical issues.

Candidate event

Soup and crackers lunch with David M. Fiebig, candidate for Lake County commissioner, 11:30 to 1 p.m. Monday at Surfside Towers Party Room in Eastlake.

Candidate endorsements

For any Nov. 6 candidates who have earned endorsements (not from The News-Herald), feel free to email them or fax them. Because of the volume and space required to list them, these items will not be printed in this column. Instead, they’ll be posted periodically until Nov. 2 on The News-Herald’s Northern Ohio Politics Blog at NorthernOhioLocalPolitics.blogspot.com.

Deadline reminder

The weekly deadline for information to appear in this column is each Wednesday at 5 p.m. Email or fax is preferred.

John Arthur Hutchison

JHutchison@News-Herald.com

Twitter: @newsheraldjah

U.S. Sen. Rob Portman will visit Mentor and Chardon on Friday afternoon as part of the Commit to Mitt Early Vote Express Tour Bus, according to Republican Presidential Nominee Mitt Romney’s campaign.

Portman, R-Ohio, will appear at the Mentor Victory Center, 7488 Mentor Ave., at 1 p.m. and later will head to Geauga County Republican Party Headquarters, 11993 Ravenna Road, Chardon, for a 2:30 p.m. appearance.


Portman plans to lay out the choice he believes voters face in November between two very different visions for our nation’s future.

At each stop, Republican supporters will hold Commit to Mitt Early Voting events and make phone calls from the bus reminding people to vote early or return their absentee ballots. The Early Vote Express tour kicked off October 2 and has since visited 63 counties.

The senator who has actively been an active part of Romney campaign efforts will also make stops in Avon Lake, Fairview Park and Kent as part of the effort to encourage Ohioans to vote early for the GOP ticket.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

by NowSourcing. Learn about data visualization software.

Original source: http://www.clicksoftware.com/logistics-and-servicing-the-election-voting-polls-infographic.htm#.UKFME4dX2NI

Bob Patterson, candidate for Lake County treasurer, announced he has received endorsement by Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

With the retirement of Ohio Supreme Court Justice Evelyn Lundberg Stratton slated for year’s end, who might be on tap to replace her on the bench?

It will be up to Gov. John Kasich to appoint a new justice, as Stratton’s term expires in 2014.

The Republican governor recently said he and his staff would evaluate applicants with input from several distinguished legal professionals from across the state.

Kasich said that he will accept applications through Nov. 16 and would like to announce an appointment by the end of the year, but would take whatever time is needed to evaluate candidates for his decision.

Might there be some interest by some local folks?

How about Diane or Tim Grendell? She’s been an 11th District Court of Appeals Court judge since 2000 and has served as a visiting judge for Ohio Supreme Court cases.

Tim Grendell currently sits on the bench as Geauga County Probate/Juvenile Court judge.

He’s no stranger to the appointment process as Kasich appointed him in September 2011 to his current role on the bench.

What about Lake County Common Pleas Court Judges Richard L. Collins Jr., Vincent A. Culotta or Eugene A. Lucci?

Remember Lucci ran for 11th District Court of Appeals in 2010 and was the Republican Party’s nominee after winning a primary against Colleen O’Toole.

It’s settled

Because the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted’s appeal of a lower court’s ruling, there will indeed be in-person absentee voting across the state for the final three days before the Nov. 6 election. Those hours are: Nov. 3, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Nov. 4, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; and Nov. 5, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Local election officials now at least know what to expect as the case had remained in legal limbo for weeks during the appeals process.

The decision to extend hours during the week and on the final three days will require staffing and time to assist voters with their ballots.

I think it will be interesting to see what that means in terms of lines at elections board offices. Elections officials hope with expanded hours during the weekdays voters who choose to vote an in-person absentee ballot won’t have to wait long because they will have more opportunities.

Will voters go to their respective elections boards on that Sunday? Some elections officials expressed relief that the in-person voting ends at 2 p.m. on that Monday because they will need time to process those voters and make sure that all the poll books reflect that someone already voted.

Candidate event

Soup and crackers lunch with David M. Fiebig, candidate for Lake County commissioner, 11:30 to 1 p.m. Oct. 29 at Surfside Towers Party Room in Eastlake.

Candidate endorsements

For any Nov. 6 candidates who have earned endorsements (not from The News-Herald), feel free to email them or fax them. Because of the volume and space required to list them, these items will not be printed in this column. Instead, they’ll be posted periodically on The News-Herald’s Northern Ohio Politics Blog at NorthernOhioLocalPolitics.blogspot.com.

Deadline reminder

The weekly deadline for information to appear in this column is each Wednesday at 5 p.m. Email or fax is preferred.

Fundies

n Judy Moran, candidate for Lake County commissioner, hosts a Ladies Luncheon with special guest speaker Kathy Purmal, noon to 2:30 p.m. Oct. 21, at Cappelli’s Party Center in Mentor. See Kathy Russo or Shirely Vesel.

n Last Clam Bake for U.S. Rep. Steven C. LaTourette, with proceeds to be given to the campaign of David Joyce, candidate for Ohio’s 14th Congressional District, 6 to 10 p.m. Oct. 26 at the Croatian Lodge in Eastlake. See Nick Ciofani or Liberty Schindel.

John Arthur Hutchison

JHutchison@News-Herald.com

Twitter: @newsheraldjah

John Patterson, candidate for Ohio House of Representatives District 99, announced endorsements by:


Ohio Education Association, Ohio Federation of Teachers, Ohio Association of Public School Employees, Service Employees International Union, American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Ohio Council 8 and Retiree Chapter 1184, Ohio Civil Service Employees Association, United Food and Commercial Workers Local 880, Journeymen Plumbers Union Local 55, Cleveland Building and Construction Trades Council, Ohio Conference of Teamsters and our Teamsters Local 377, Regional Council of Carpenters and Carpenters Local Union No. 435, Ohio Association of Professional Fire Fighters, Ohio Association for Justice
Laborers Local 245.

Patterson also has received an A(q) rating from the Buckeye Firearms Association.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

Casey Kozlowski, candidate for Ohio House of Representatives District 99, recently announced endorsements by:

The Ohio Farm Bureau (‘2012 Friend of Agriculture’), Ohio Society of CPA’s, Buckeye Firearms Association, Ohio Manufacturers’ Association, National Federation of Independent Business/Ohio SAFE Trust ,Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Ohio Restaurant Association, Ohio Right to Life, Ohio ProLife Action, Ohio State Medical Association, International Union of Operating Engineers and United Transportation Union.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

Lori DiNallo, candidate for Ohio House of Representatives District 60, announced endorsement by Lake County Commissioner Raymond E. Sines, Lake County Engineer James R. Gills, and Lake County Recorder Jason Wuliger.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

When it comes time to cast a ballot on Nov. 6 don’t overlook the people at your polling location who are there to make help provide that opportunity.

Poll workers are the folks who greet you at your precinct, check your identification, have you sign your name in the poll book, and then give you instructions on how to cast your ballot whether it’s by using an electronic machine or an optical scanned paper ballot.

Poll workers are often friends and neighbors and they do important jobs to help run the election.

The day typically starts around 6 a.m. and includes tasks such as to open up the polls and make sure the machines ready to operate. This all must be finished prior to 6:30 a.m., when the polls are supposed to be open.

Small jobs that most people don’t think about such as placing American flags at the polling location is part of the work.

During Election Day, it’s a poll workers job to make sure each voter is registered. Sometimes a voter must cast a provisional ballot because their identity can’t be verified by required identification or in situations where there might be a question of the voter’s eligibility in that specific precinct.

It’s the job of the poll worker to determine when a provisional ballot must be cast and they are trained on when those situations apply and how to handle it.

Once the election hours are concluded at 7:30 p.m. — unless directed to stay open longer due a court order — poll workers close down the voting location and deliver ballots to the county elections board, which works as quickly as possible to get them counted so the public can learn the unofficial results.

One thing to note is work as a poll worker is not a volunteer position, it is a paid one and the rate is set by the respective county.

In Lake County, a poll worker is paid $107.91 plus $20 for training. Presiding judges receive $127.91, plus $20 for training. In Geauga County, poll workers are paid $107.91, plus $30 for training. Presiding judges earn an extra $5 to $11, plus $30 for training.

There is always a need for poll workers in Lake County and most other counties, election officials will say. Inevitably someone gets sick or has an emergency and just can’t make it to the polls, so another person has to be ready to step in as a substitute, if necessary.

Serving as a poll worker, which I haven’t done because I’m usually working to cover an election, would be something I’d like to do sometime. I’m told it’s a long day, but most often a rewarding one because it’s a chance to be a part of the election process and serve the community.

Lake County TEA Party meets

The Lake County TEA Party will meet at 7 p.m., Tuesday at Harvey High School Auditorium in Painesville. Ohio School Board candidates Bev Goldstein, District 11, and Sarah Fowler, District 7 are scheduled to speak.

Candidate endorsements

For any Nov. 6 candidates who have earned endorsements (not from The News-Herald), feel free to email them or fax them. Because of the volume and space required to list them, these items will not be printed in this column. Instead, they’ll be posted periodically on The News-Herald’s Northern Ohio Politics Blog at NorthernOhioLocalPolitics.blogspot.com.

Deadline reminder

The weekly deadline for information to appear in this column is each Wednesday at 5 p.m. Email or fax is preferred.

Fundies

* Lori DiNallo, candidate for Ohio House of Representatives District 60, hosts a clambake 6:30 p.m. Oct. 17 at Benny Vino Urban Winery in Perry Village. See Jan Clair.

* Judy Moran, candidate for Lake County commissioner, hosts a Ladies Luncheon with special guest speaker Kathy Purmal, noon to 2:30 p.m. Oct. 21, at Cappelli’s Party Center in Mentor. See Kathy Russo or Shirely Vesel.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

Judy Moran, candidate for Lake County commissioner, announced she received endorsements by:

Former U.S. Rep. Dennis Eckart, Lake County Commissioner Robert Aufuldish, Treasurer John Crocker, state Rep. Lorraine Fende, Willowick Mayor Rich Bonde, Wickliffe Mayor Bill Margalis, Wickliffe Council President Dave Krych, Fairport Harbor Mayor Tim Manross, Perry Village Mayor Vickie Stevens, North Perry Village Mayor Ed Klco, Mentor-on-the-Lake Mayor John Rogers, former Wickliffe Mayor Tom Ruffner, Willoughby Council President Jerry Ranally, Mentor Councilman Ray Kirchner, Willoughby Councilman Chris Woodin, Painesville Council President Joe Hada, Perry Township Trustee Rick Amos, Perry Township Trustee Nancy Steele, Leroy Township Trustee Chuck Klco, Concord Township Trustee Paul Malchesky, Eastlake Councilwoman Laura DePledge, Willowick Councilmembers Andy Allan, Charles Malta, Ann Turk, Mike Vanni and Tom Wells, Mentor School Board Member Mary Bryner, Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 116, Journeymen Plumbers Local 55, North Shore AFL-CIO Federation of Labor, International Union of Operating Engineers, Cleveland Building and Construction Trades.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

Check out this audio segment (embedded below) produced by The Takeaway titled "The Seven Ohio Voters Who Will Determine the Election," which features what John Hockenberry referred to as, "The Lake County, Ohio, Bellwether Committee."



The Takeaway also produced a piece called The Most Important State in the Country, which starts with: "How important is Ohio? Though not as big as Florida, and with lower voter turnouts than Wisconsin, Ohio has been on the winning side of every presidential election since 1964. With its geographic and religious diversity, the state is increasingly seen as a microcosm for American voting preference at large."

When it comes to races for judge, it often can be difficult to gauge what a candidate might believe because they’re generally barred from speaking during campaigns about subjects that could come up before them in court.

Campaigns, rather, tend to focus generally on the management of the court including budgets and programs that are administered.

I provided the Ohio Bar Association’s recommendations of candidates for Ohio Supreme Court last week.

With that said, the Lake County and Geauga County bar associations recently released results of endorsement or poll results for state and local judge races.

The rankings show a reflection of how the judicial candidates fared among their peers in each county. But for the public, it’s up to each voter to learn more about the candidates and decide for themselves when it comes time to vote. The following is merely for informational purposes and doesn’t imply endorsement by The News-Herald.

Lake County Bar Association

The Association announced its endorsements for judicial candidates who will appear on Nov. 6 ballots in Lake County. An opinion was only expressed if a candidate received a yes or no vote as to the qualifications of the office on more than 50 percent of the ballots.

Receiving an endorsement of highly recommended were Ohio Supreme Court Justice Robert R. Cupp; Lake County Common Pleas Court Judges Richard L. Collins, Vincent A. Culotta, Eugene A. Lucci; and 11th District Court of Appeals Court Judge Mary Jane Trapp.

Candidates who received an endorsement of recommended were Ohio Supreme Court Justices Yvette McGee Brown, Terrence O’Donnell and William O’Neill; and 11th District Court of Appeals Judge Diane V. Grendell,

The Bar Association gave an endorsement of not recommended for Colleen Mary O’Toole, candidate for 11th District Court of Appeals. It expressed no opinion for Ohio Supreme Court candidates Sharon L. Kennedy and Mike Skindell.

Geauga County Bar Association

The Association released results of a poll in which 106 members responded regarding Nov. 6 judicial candidates appearing on the Geauga County ballot. The Association does not make endorsements, rather it releases the poll results.

Ohio Supreme Court: Skindell received the following votes: 11 highly recommended, 23 recommended, 16 not recommended, 56 no opinion; O’Donnell received 31 highly recommended, 28 recommended, 22 not recommended, 25 no opinion; O’Neill received 31 highly recommended, 29 recommended, 36 not recommended, 10 no opinion; Cupp received 21 highly recommended, 37 recommended, 12 not recommended, 36 no opinion; Brown received 20 highly recommended, 20 recommended, 14 not recommended, 52 no opinion; Kennedy received 8 highly recommended, 16 recommended, 21 not recommended, 61 no opinion.

11th District Court of Appeals: Trapp received 88 highly recommended, 13 recommended, 4 not recommended, 1 no opinion; O’Toole received 10 highly recommended, 18 recommended, 63 not recommended, 15 no opinion.

Geauga Common Pleas Court: Scott Matasar received 16 highly recommended, 27 recommended, 33 not recommended, 30 no opinion, Forrest W. Burt received 54 highly recommended, 32 recommended, 16 not recommended, 4 no opinion.

Geauga Probate/Juvenile Court: Timothy J. Grendell received 52 highly recommended, 32 recommended, 17 not recommended, 6 no opinion; Timothy H. Synder received 8 highly recommended, 15 recommended, 55 not recommended, 28 no opinion.

Fundies

n Ron Young, candidate for Ohio House of Representatives District 61, hosts wine tasting from Wine Sommelier and Spirit Expert Gene Segal of South River Vinyards, 6 to 8 p.m. Monday at Quail Hollow Country Club. See Young.

n Fundraiser for Nancy McArthur, candidate for Ohio Senate District 32, with special guest Jo Ann Davidson, former Ohio House of Representatives speaker, 5:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, at Sharon James Cellars in Newbury. See McArthur.

n Fall clambake for John Rogers, candidate for Ohio House of Representatives District 60, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 11 at Mentor Beach Park in Mentor-on-the-Lake. See Rogers or John Crocker.

n Lori DiNallo, candidate for Ohio House of Representatives District 60, hosts a clambake 6:30 p.m. Oct. 17 at Benny Vino Urban Winery in Perry Village. See Jan Clair.

John Arthur Hutchison

JHutchison@News-Herald.com

Twitter: @newsheraldjah

David M. Fiebig, candidate for Lake County commissioner, announced he received endorsements by:

U.S. Rep. Steven LaTourette, Lake County Commissioner Ray Sines, Lake County Sheriff Daniel A. Dunlap, Lake County Prosecutor Chuck Coulson, Lake County Engineer Jim Gills, Lake County Auditor Ed Zupancic, former Lake County Recorder Frank Suponcic, Ohio House of Representatives Speaker William G. Batchelder, state Rep. Ron Young, state Sen. John Eklund, former state Sen. Bob Gardner, former state Rep. Jamie Callender, Willoughby Hills Mayor Bob Weger, Willoughby Hills Coucilmen Frank Germano, Ray Somich and Council President David A. Reichelt, Willoughby Hills Councilwoman Nancy E. Fellows, former Willoughby Hills Mayor Mort O’Ryan, Kirtland Mayor Mark Tyler, Willoughby Mayor Dave Anderson, former Waite Hill Mayor Art Baldwin, Mentor Councilman Scott Marn, Mentor-on-the-Lake Councilman Troy Elam, Concord Township Trustee Connie Luhta, Willoughby Councilman Bob Carr, Willoughby Councilman Jeff Black, Perry Township Trustee Phillip Haskell, North Perry Village Councilman Richard Shreve, Madison Council President Don Bartlett, Madison Council Vice-President Kenneth Takacs, Madison Councilman John Hamercheck, Madison Councilman Duane Frager, Madison Councilman Mark Vest, former Madison Mayor Robert Lee, Leroy Township Trustee Linda Burhenne, Fairport Harbor Councilman Tony Bertone, Fairport Harbor Councilman Albert Paolino, Painesville Councilman Mike DeLeone, Painesville Councilwoman Lori DiNallo, Kirtland Councilman Matt Schulz, Eastlake Councilwoman Cindy Quinn-Hopkins, former Wickliffe Councilman Gordon Levar, Lake and Geauga Area Association of Realtors, and the Lake County Republican Party.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah

Lori DiNallo, candidate for Ohio House of Representatives District 60, announced she received endorsements by the Ohio Society of CPAs, Ohio Manufacturers’ Association's political action committee, and U.S. Rep. Steve LaTourette.

John Arthur Hutchison
JHutchison@News-Herald.com
Twitter: @newsheraldjah