Recent news that Ohio’s unemployment rate has increased for the past three months and now exceeds the national unemployment rate wasn’t great to hear.

It’s also worth noting that the number of workers considered unemployed in Ohio in October was 427,000, up 2,000 from 425,000 in September, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. The number of unemployed has increased by 31,000 in the past 12 months, up from 396,000.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reported the state’s unemployment rate in October rose to 7.5 percent, up from 7.4 in September and 7.3 percent in August.

The October unemployment rate for Ohio was up from 6.9 percent in October 2012.

The U.S. unemployment rate for October was 7.3 percent, up from 7.2 percent in September, but down from 7.9 percent in October 2012.

The unemployment rates generally counts only those actively looking for work. For instance, it doesn’t include those who exhaust unemployment benefits and haven’t looked for work in a long time.

Of course, many people assume when the unemployment rate is released it is a reflection of layoffs or businesses failing.

I think an interesting way to see how the economy is faring is to look at industries and job sectors in terms of recent job losses and gains.

Ohio’s seasonally adjusted nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 2,400 in October, according to the ODJFS.

The total showed goods-producing industries gained 2,300 jobs during October and were added in construction (1,300), manufacturing (900), and mining and logging (100).

The private service-providing sector gained 6,400 jobs, as employment increased in trade, transportation, and utilities (3,500), leisure and hospitality (3,000), financial activities (1,000), and other services (1,000); with job losses in professional and business services (1,200), educational and health services (600), and information (300).

Government employment lost 6,300 jobs and the declines were posted in local (4,300), state (1,400), and federal (600) government.

One vote does make a difference

Don’t tell Middlefield Village Council candidates Ronald W. Wiech and Brandon M. Reed that one vote isn’t important.

Wiech officially finished in fourth place with 279 votes during the Nov. 5 election, and Reed received 278 votes to officially finish fifth. The top four vote-getters earn a spot on council.

Because the race is so close — just one vote — an automatic recount is needed by the Geauga County Elections Board.

That will take place Monday. If there is a change and a tie ensues, a coin flip or another way to cast lots would be chosen to declare a winner.

Pulling petitions

State Rep. Ron Young, R-Leroy Township, has taken out petitions from the Lake County Elections Board to seek re-election. Lake County Juvenile Court Judge Karen Lawson has also done the same.

Campaign mode

Euclid Democrat and former state Rep. Ed Jerse, who is Cuyahoga County director of regional collaboration, plans to resign from the post effective Nov. 30 to focus on his campaign for Ohio Senate District 25.

The district includes Eastlake, Fairport Harbor, Grand River, Lakeline, Mentor Ward 4, Mentor-on-the-Lake, Painesville, parts of Painesville Township, Timberlake, Wickliffe, Willoughby and Willowick in Lake County, plus Euclid, Richmond Height, South Euclid and other eastern Cuyahoga County communities.

Swearing in

Richmond Heights mayor-elect Miesha Headen begins her new term Sunday and takes the oath of office at 4:30 p.m. at Faith United Church of Christ in Richmond Heights.

Fundies

• Fundraiser for Young, 6 p.m. Dec. 5 at Quail Hollow Resort in Concord Township. See Young.
• Geauga County Republican Party Christmas Party, Dec. 6 at Chagrin Valley Athletic Club in Bainbridge. See Ed Ryder or Frank Gliha.
• Campaign kickoff for  Lawson, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 16 at LaMalfa Party Center in Mentor. See Lu Dunlap.

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