Cuyahoga County Ed FitzGerald, also a Democratic candidate for governor, wasn’t happy April 7 when he learned Ohio House of Representatives Republicans want to cut local government funding by 10 percent to any county that sends unsolicited absentee ballot requests to registered voters.

“Any opportunity to make voting more difficult for the poor, seniors, African Americans and working Ohioans is consistently and enthusiastically embraced by the Republicans in the General Assembly. And their plan to now punish the residents of communities who simply want to make voting easier is not only politics at its worst, it is a direct attack on how local governments pay for police, fire and other vital services,” FitzGerald said in a statement.

The Columbus Dispatch reported April 8 that Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted, a Republican who is up for re-election this year, said he plans to send absentee ballot requests to all Ohio voters and that this issue is something counties don’t need to worry about.

Meanwhile, FitzGerald was in Willoughby April 7 for a campaign fundraiser at the Willoughby Brewing Company.

“As governor, Ed FitzGerald will make the economy work for all Ohioans. Lake County’s unemployment rate is 7.9 percent, over a full point above the national average,” his campaign spokeswoman Lauren Hitt said. “Before he make anther cross country trip to tout the Ohio Miracle, Gov. (John) Kasich should spend sometime talking to Ohioans in Lake County.”

Submitted photos are from the FitzGerald campaign.

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

A interesting choice by Lake County Probate Court Judge Mark Bartolotta to appoint Gretchen Skok DiSanto as the newest member to the Lake Metroparks Park Board of Commissioners.

When publicly announcing his decision to the board, which is an unpaid position, Bartolotta said his selection was carefully completed after a thorough investigation to select who the best person would be.

It must not have been easy decision and Bartolotta even apologized for the length of time the appointment took as the term of former Park Board Commissioner Ellen Foley Kessler expired Dec. 31.

It’s worth mentioning that Kessler, a Democrat, was the first woman and longest serving Park Board commissioner after she was appointed years ago by DiSanto’s father, the late former Probate Court Judge Fred V. Skok, who was a Democrat.

Bartolotta cited DiSanto’s lengthy résumé and experience along with her high level of education and a lifetime involvement with the park system that began with her parents and continued into her childhood and adult life.

The Concord Township Democrat is well respected within the many circles and she should be quite capable in her new role on the Park Board.

DiSanto, who has two children, also brings with her to the board a perspective of someone with a young family who utilizes the park system on a regular basis.

For Bartolotta, a Republican appointed to the bench in September by Gov. John Kasich, the appointment was his first decision that truly would fall under public scrutiny.

Yes, the judge makes multitudes of important decisions and judgments on Probate Court matters, but when the time comes to make Park Board selections the responsibility is one that typically captures greater public attention.

It did in this case, because it was the first board appointment made by the new judge who is running this year to retain the seat.

If Bartolotta, who was hired years ago as an assistant county prosecutor years ago by former Lake County Prosecutor and U.S. Rep. Steve C. LaTourette had selected a Republican, critics from the other side likely would have emerged for selecting someone in his political party. Because DiSanto is a lifelong Democrat, that wasn’t the case here.

But an interesting connection is DiSanto is married to Dino DiSanto, chief of staff for U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Russell Township, and who held the same position with Congressman LaTourette.

Some may say that Gretchen Skok DiSanto’s appointment by the judge looks like a political decision.

The truth is, board appointments are usually political — at least in some capacity — because they are made by politicians.

This appointment to me seems based on strong credentials — with a little bit of politics sprinkled in — and will ultimately be judged by how DiSanto performs in her appointed role.

One vote does matter

Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted recently revealed that a review of 110 recounts following the Nov. 5 election showed 35 local races and eight local issues in Ohio were decided by one vote or through breaking a tie.

Husted correctly points out that just one person could have made the difference to decide whether local taxes would go up and whether someone else would have served in important local offices, including township trustee, city or village council and school board.

That was the case in Middlefield Village where the council race for the fourth place — in this case the final spot on council — was decided by just one vote.

Event

Geauga County Democratic Party monthly Spaghetti Dinner Served with Hot Top is at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the party headquarters in Newbury Township. State Sen. Capri Cafaro, D-Hubbard, plans to discuss a new bill being introduced by Ohio Senate Democrats to re-instate the Homestead tax exemption.

Fundies

• Bartolotta hosts a fundraiser, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at LaMalfa Party Center in Mentor. See John Redmond or Amy Sabath.
• John P. O’Donnell, candidate for Lake County Common Pleas Court, hosts a fundraiser, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday at LaMalfa Party Center. See Mike Lucas, Mike Bucci or Ann Bergen.
• Lake County Domestic Relations Court Judge Colleen A. Falkowski hosts a fundraiser from 5:30 to 7:30 Jan. 30 at LaMalfa Party Center. See Brian Falkowski.
• Lisa Klammer, candidate for Lake County Probate Court judge, hosts a fundraiser, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20 at LaMalfa Party Center. See Randy Klammer.

John Arthur Hutchison

JHutchison@News-Herald.com

Twitter: @newsheraldjah

The race for the Democratic Party’s nominee in 2014 for the Ohio Senate 25th District has begun to heat up as a prominent endorsement recently was granted.

U.S. Rep. Marcia L. Fudge, D-Warrensville Heights, this week endorsed former state Rep. Ed Jerse of Euclid for the seat. Jerse is running in a Democratic Party primary next year against former state Rep. Kenny Yuko, D-Richmond Heights.

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 Heights, South Euclid and other eastern Cuyahoga County communities.

To his credit, Yuko has the endorsement of state Sen. Nina Turner, D-Cleveland, who is not seeking re-election because she is running for Ohio Secretary of State against incumbent Jon Husted, a Republican.

This Ohio Senate race should be one of the more interesting ones to watch next year between two former state lawmakers who had to leave the Ohio General Assembly due to term limits.

So which one of the candidates will emerge victorious? The Republican primary, if there is one, likely won’t be as high profile because the district leans Democratic.

In the grand scheme of state politics, the Ohio Senate is dominated by Republicans who hold a 23-10 majority, and if the seat is kept by a Democrat then it won’t represent a seismic shift in policy. The same holds true if a Republican wins.

However, with so few numbers, members in the minority who serve in Ohio Senate districts throughout the state have to be capable of making their voices heard loud and clear for their party’s ideas and can’t be shy of the media spotlight.

Turner, who was the Ohio Senate Minority Whip until just recently stepping down, has appeared to enjoy that role especially as a frequent guest on MSNBC and actively involved on Twitter with more than 19,000 followers.

On an individual basis, serving as an Ohio state senator can lead to bigger possibilities down the road, such as in Turner’s case as she seeks to win a statewide position.

State Sen. Eric Kearney, D-Cincinnati, who is the Ohio Senate minority leader, was also tapped by Ohio gubernatorial candidate Ed FitzGerald as his choice for lieutenant governor in 2014.

Keep the change

Legislation that passed the U.S. House of Representatives aims to transfer unclaimed money recovered at airport security checkpoints to nonprofit organizations that provide places of rest and recuperation at airports for members of the Armed Forces and their families. According to the House Homeland Security Committee, the Transportation Security Administration makes on average $465,285 from airport check points annually.

U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Russell Township, voted in support of the measure that moves on to the U.S. Senate.

“It’s a simple concept, but certainly a worthy one, considering the sacrifices made by our troops every day,” Joyce said in an email.

Swearing-in event

Three winners in the Nov. 5 election will be sworn-in at 1 p.m. Dec. 18 at Cardinal High School by Ohio Supreme Court Justice William M. O’Neill.

Nancy Ferguson will be sworn-in for Cardinal School Board; Richard Seyer and Ronald Wiech will be sworn in for Middlefield Village Council.

The swearing-in will be held in conjunction with the high school government/politics class to include the students in the political process and to demonstrate the importance of exercising the right and responsibility to vote.

Deadlines

The weekly deadline to submit information for this column is each Wednesday by 5 p.m. Email or fax is preferred.

Fundies

• Campaign kickoff for Lake County Juvenile Court Judge Karen 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

The race for governor in 2014 came into a sharper focus this week when Democratic candidate Ed FitzGerald announced state Sen. Eric Kearney would serve as his running mate.

FitzGerald, who next year will finish up his term as the first elected Cuyahoga County executive, picked the lifelong Cincinnati resident as his choice for lieutenant governor.

Kearney has served as an Ohio state senator since 2005 and is currently the Ohio Senate’s minority leader. He is subject to term limits and is not eligible to run next year for another term in the Ohio Senate.

In a campaign email, FitzGerald said Kearney is known as someone who can get things done and is able to reach across party lines.

After the announcement, the FitzGerald campaign made stops across the state as part of a two-day tour visiting Cincinnati, Dayton and Toledo on day one. The next day stops were in Youngstown, Cleveland and Columbus.

The Ohio Republican Party issued a statement from Party Chairman Matt Borges stating the next election will offer a clear contrast between Gov. John Kasich and his running mate Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor.

Borges criticized Kearney for opposing the state budget and the tax cuts contained within it and that he supports the Affordable Care Act.

In a campaign email, state Sen. Nina Turner, a Cleveland Democrat who represents Ohio Senate District 25 that includes half of Lake County, applauded the choice of Kearney.

Turner also will be part of the Ohio Democratic Party’s statewide ticket next year as she has announced plans to run for Ohio Secretary of State most likely against incumbent Jon Husted.

One of the biggest challenges FitzGerald will have next year is to broaden his name recognition across the state, especially south of the Cleveland media market.

Kearney may help FitzGerald. Kearney, who is black, also provides the ticket with racial diversity.

So perhaps the selection of Kearney will help awaken additional support for FitzGerald in a race that a recent poll sponsored by the Ohio Democratic Party suggests is a dead head.

It also remains to be seen how or if online reports Friday in publications such as the Cleveland Plain Dealer and Cincinnati Enquirer that discussed Kearney owing thousands of dollars on a tax lien will hurt the campaign.

It’s important to note that when people vote for governor they typically are voting for the candidate at the top of the ticket, not for the lieutenant governor.

However, it is the job of the running mate to help the gubernatorial candidate win.

Happy trails

Congratulations to Painesville Township Trustees Jeanette Crislip and Jim Falvey as each rounds up a lengthy career as a trustee.

Neither trustee sought re-election earlier this month and will retire from their respective office.

Falvey attended his last trustee meeting this past week, and Crislip is slated to attend her last meeting next month.

Taken out petitions

Lake County Auditor Edward H. Zupancic has taken out candidacy petitions from the county Elections Board to seek re-election in 2014.

Recently signing in with the Elections Board on behalf U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce to take out petitions for U.S. House of Representatives District 14 was Dino DiSanto, chief of staff for Joyce.

The filing deadline to run for partisan primaries next year is Feb. 5.

Event

The Geauga County Democratic Party will host a Thanksgiving potluck dinner at 6 p.m. Saturday at party headquarters in Newbury Township.

Fundies

• Fundraiser for state Rep. Ron 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.

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

Lake County officials remain concerned about a state law that could force the county to purchase additional voting machines.

A ratio that requires each county to have one voting machine per 175 registered voters was enacted in 2006 and is slated to go into effect next year.

Eliminating that ratio had been discussed as part of the two-year state budget that was passed June 30, but it ultimately did not happen.

Earlier this year, Lake County elections officials estimated the county would have to purchase an additional 54 voting machines based on a voter registration level of more than 152,000.

The cost would be $100,000 to $200,000, depending on if the equipment was new or used.

Lake County Commissioner Daniel P. Troy said during a meeting this week that spending that money to purchase additional machines was an “unnecessary expenditure.”

Troy also recalled that county Elections Board Director Scott E. Daisher previously stated to commissioners publicly that the longest anyone had to wait to vote in the November 2012 election was a report of a 30-minute wait when the polls opened in one precinct.

Otherwise, there have been no long wait times so purchasing additional machines simply isn’t needed, officials said.

Troy said the County Commissioners Association of Ohio and Lake County officials will continue to speak with state lawmakers, including state Sen. Nina Turner, a Cleveland Democrat who represents half of Lake County as part of District 25 in the Ohio Senate.

Turner also is running for Ohio Secretary of State next year and likely will face incumbent Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted.

When the law was enacted in 2006, it came as memories were fresh about reports of voters across the state who weren’t able to cast a ballot or had to wait for so long to vote that they decided not to bother.

Troy and other election officials in Lake County now argue the ratio is no longer necessary to implement because voters have more options available to them to vote absentee and that has helped alleviate long lines and made it easier to vote.

An interesting question to ponder is what would happen if the law isn’t changed or a solution isn’t reached in time and the county decided not to go ahead and purchase additional machines? Perhaps a potential legal challenge?

It will be interesting to see what develops.

Medicaid expansion

Gov. John Kasich continues to push for an expansion of Medicaid for people who earn up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level.

The Columbus Dispatch reported Friday that the governor will ask the seven-member Ohio Controlling Board to approve spending about $2.56 billion in federal money to cover an estimated 275,000 low-income Ohioans under Medicaid.

With four Republicans, two Democrats and Board Chairman Randy Cole, who is a policy advisor for the state Office of Budget Management, it will be interesting to see if a Medicaid expansion basically skips past the Ohio General Assembly.

Candidate endorsements

Candidates in Lake, Geauga and eastern Cuyahoga counties who appear on the Nov. 5 ballot may send in listings of endorsements they receive for the upcoming election via email, fax or standard mail. They will appear online periodically on The News-Herald’s Northern Ohio Politics blog.

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 Matt Jaworski, candidate for Wickliffe Council at large, hosts a bowling fundraiser, noon to 3 p.m. today at Wickliffe Lanes. See Jaworski or Matt Gallik.

n Lake County Commissioner Judy Moran hosts Oktoberfest 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 17 at American Legion Hall in Willowick. See Paul Miller or Kevin Malecek.

n Lake County Recorder Ann M. Radcliffe hosts spaghetti dinner fundraiser 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 20 at the Park Road Grill in Painesville Township. See Terri Conley.

John Arthur Hutchison

JHutchison@News-Herald.com

Twitter: @newsheraldjah

The potential ballot in November 2014 looks like it might be a little less crowded now that a group that had opposed a new law to ban storefront sweepstakes parlors has dropped its fight to place a repeal up for a statewide vote.

The Committee to Protect Ohio jobs wanted to repeal Ohio House Bill 7, and the group said it had gathered thousands of additional signatures after falling short of the required number earlier this month.

Ultimately the committee decided not to submit any more to Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted by a Thursday night deadline.

House Bill 7 gives the state Attorney General’s Office regulatory authority over sweepstakes terminal devices used by internet sweepstakes cafés, according to Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine’s office. Cafés are required to obtain a certificate of registration from the Attorney General’s Office and file monthly reports.

The Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation also now will have explicit authority to investigate gambling law violations alleged to occur at internet sweepstakes cafes. DeWine also plans to send letters to each of the 88 county prosecutors in Ohio on the issue.

Another group called Healthy Ohioans Work aims to have the Ohio General Assembly approve Medicaid expansion for people who earn up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. Democrat lawmakers appear to be mostly united on this issue, but so far leading Republican lawmakers have declined to support the issue even with Gov. John Kasich urging them to do so.

It’s a lengthy process to submit the language and appropriate number of signatures to force the Ohio General Assembly to consider a proposal, but if the group is successful and state lawmakers don’t act, an initiative could be part of the November 2014 ballot.

Other possible initiatives that have been mentioned in publications across the state could include the so-called right to work issue, legalizing gay marriage and legalizing marijuana either for medicinal purposes and/or recreational use.

Next year will really be interesting on the statewide level as the governor’s race will be on the ballot along with most statewide officeholder positions.

It’s entirely possible that whatever issues do appear on the ballot would have a significant impact on how the candidates races go.

To provide just a quick example, Medicaid expansion in Ohio has proved to be a divisive issue especially between conservatives and most Democrats. Even some in the Republican Party aren’t unified against expansion — like Kasich, who supports it and top Republican lawmakers who apparently don’t.

In big races that involve statewide issues and candidates, getting loyal party voters and even independents interested can often mean the difference for a candidate’s chances of winning and losing. We’ll see how it shakes out.

Candidate endorsements

Candidates in Lake, Geauga and eastern Cuyahoga counties who appear on the Nov. 5 ballot may send in listings of endorsements they receive for the upcoming election via email, fax or standard mail. They will appear online periodically on The News-Herald’s Northern Ohio Politics blog.

Event

Dennis Morley, candidate for Eastlake mayor, will host a meet and greet event, 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 10 and Oct. 24 at Trader Jacks in Eastlake.

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 State Rep. John Rogers hosts fall clambake, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 10 at Mentor Beach Park in Mentor-on-the-Lake. See Rogers or Kip Molenaar.

n Matt Jaworski, candidate for Wickliffe Council at large, hosts a bowling fundraiser, noon to 3 p.m. Oct. 12 at Wickliffe Lanes. See Jaworski or Matt Gallik.

n Lake County Commissioner Judy Moran hosts Oktoberfest 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 17 at American Legion Hall in Willowick. See Paul Miller or Kevin Malecek.

n Lake County Recorder Ann M. Radcliffe hosts spaghetti dinner fundraiser 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 20 at the Park Road Grill in Painesville Township. See Terri Conley.

John Arthur Hutchison

JHutchison@News-Herald.com

Twitter: @newsheraldjah

Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted has called a meeting of the Ohio Ballot Board for Thursday at 1 p.m. in Columbus.

As required by Ohio law, the Ballot Board will meet to determine whether a proposed initiated statute regarding Medicaid consists of only one proposed law. The Ballot Board has 10 days from the date the certification is received from the attorney general to complete this task.

The review is one step in the process toward potentially putting the issue on the statewide ballot in November 2014.

Members of the Ballot Board are Husted, chair; Mark Griffin, vice chair; state Sens. Nina Turner, D-Cleveland, and Bill Coley, R-Liberty Township in Montgomery County; and and William N. Morgan. Coley will be sworn in as a member to replace Ohio Senate President Keith Faber.

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

Now that state Rep. John Patrick Carney has announced he will run for Ohio Auditor, Democrats have filled most of their slate of statewide candidates who will challenge Republican incumbents in 2014.

Carney is a Columbus-based healthcare attorney who grew up in Bay Village and has served in the Ohio General Assembly for three two-year terms.

He will challenge incumbent state Auditor Dave Yost, a Republican who is finishing his first term in office.

Other races shape up for now to pit Gov. John Kasich vs. Cuyahoga County Executive Ed Fitzgerald; Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel vs. state Rep. Connie Pillach; Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted vs. state Sen. Nina Turner; and Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine vs. former Hamilton County Commissioner David Pepper.

Ohio Supreme Court Justice Sharon Kennedy also will be on the ballot next year. No Democrat opposition has announced so far.

Carney said during an interview with The News-Herald that he believes his experience in the health care field would serve him well as he would aim as auditor to carefully examine the large percentage of the state’s revenue that is spent on health care.

Other issues Carney will use as campaign talking points are to protect Lake Erie and waterway assets and what he says is the gerrymandering of legislative districts that eliminates bipartisanship on the state level.

He also believes that JobsOhio needs to be more transparent and said Ohioans deserve to know where public tax money is spent in the effort to help create jobs.

It should be an interesting election season next year to see if Republicans continue to dominate state politics or whether Democrats make any headway.

Welcome to the bench

Congratulations to Geauga County Assistant Prosecutor Mark Bartolotta, who was appointed by Kasich to become the new Lake County Probate Court judge. I’ll write a little bit more on this development in a future column.

Events

Geauga County Democratic Party hosts a spaghetti dinner at 6 p.m. Thursday and a speaker will discuss the new federal health care law. Former Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner will talk about women’s issues and her new book at 2 p.m. Sept. 22. The party’s annual clambake will be at 6 p.m. Oct. 5. Each of the events will be at party headquarters in Newbury Township.

Geauga County Republican Party hosts GOP Steak Roast with a mystery guest speaker at 2 p.m. Oct. 6 at the Troy Township Pavilion.

Lake County Democratic Women’s Club hosts 75th anniversary luncheon and Woman of the Year award on Sept. 21 at Dino’s Party Center in Willoughby.

Candidate endorsements

Candidates in Lake, Geauga and eastern Cuyahoga counties who appear on the Nov. 5 ballot may send in listings of endorsements they receive for the upcoming election via email, fax or standard mail. They will appear online periodically on The News-Herald’s Northern Ohio Politics blog.

Change in publication date

Starting with the Sept. 21 edition, this column will be published on The News-Herald’s editorial page on Saturdays instead of on Sundays.

Fundies

n Susan McGuinness, candidate for Painesville Township trustee, hosts a ’60s Night fundraiser, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 19 at Harry Buffalo in Painesville Township. See Susan or Ray McGuinness.

n Geauga County Auditor Frank J. Gliha hosts Chinese Dinner fundraiser, 6:30 p.m. Sept. 20 at Pineview Lake in Munson Township. See Gliha.

n Lake County Commissioner Daniel P. Troy hosts Fall Classic golf outing and Clam Bake, 12:30 p.m. shotgun start Sept. 27 at Lost Nation Municipal Golf Course in Willoughby. See Kip Molenaar.

n Dennis Morley, candidate for Eastlake mayor, hosts Steak Roast Fundraiser, 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 6 at Boracs Landing in Eastlake. See Donna Vaughn or Dale Bradley.

n State Rep. John Rogers hosts fall clambake, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 10 at Mentor Beach Park in Mentor-on-the-Lake. See Rogers or Kip Molenaar.

n Lake County Commissioner Judy Moran hosts Oktoberfest 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 17 at American Legion Hall in Willowick. See Paul Miller or Kevin Malecek.

John Arthur Hutchison

JHutchison@News-Herald.com

Twitter: @newsheraldjah

A regional liaison for Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted will conduct office hours from 9:30 to 11 a.m. July 18 in Lake County at Morley Library in Painesville.

The goal of open office hours is to give local citizens an opportunity to learn more about, and stay connected with, the Secretary of State’s office in an informal and accessible setting.

In addition to making voter registration forms and election information available, regional representatives will be on hand to answer questions and distribute materials to those interested in learning more about the other functions of the office such as the business services division and initiatives including the Ohio Business Profile and Military Ready-to-Vote program.

These meetings are one of many the Ohio Secretary of State’s regional field representatives will be hosting across Ohio as a way to provide residents with resources and information on all issues and matters related to the responsibilities and operations of the office of Secretary of State.

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

It still surprises me that so few people take the time to vote whenever there is a special election during which no candidates appear on a ballot.

In Lake County, there were 105,822 voters eligible to vote last Tuesday, but yet only 17,164 or 16.22 percent bothered to take the time to do so.

Folks, that’s fewer than two of every 10 registered voters or barely more than three out of every 20.

I realize that people have busy lives and it does take a little bit of time to vote, but not that much. I also understand that, despite the best of intentions, the opportunity to vote is missed.

But to make it much easier to make sure our rights as citizens can be accomplished, the voting process in Ohio has expanded in recent years.

No longer is a reason necessary to cast an absentee ballot as it can be done early by voting through the mail or in person at the county Elections Board.

Of course voting remains available on election day at voters’ respective polling locations. No long lines this time.

Perhaps people didn't realize they had an issue for which to vote or worse they didn't care and took the attitude to let someone else decide.

If that’s the case, then it’s especially hard to understand when someone wants to complain about a school district or the amount of property taxes they might pay when a school levy passes or fails.

When a municipality or township has an issue on the ballot these are questions that directly impact the community where you live. Why wouldn't a registered voter want his or her input to be a part of the process?

Statewide recognition

Madison Township Beverly Getzy, a Democrat who has worked as a precinct election official in Lake County for more than 40 years, was presented the PEO Red Carpet award Thursday by Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted.

She was nominated for the award by the Lake County Elections Board.

The Precinct Election Official Red Carpet Award is given out by the Secretary of State’s office and recognizes the outstanding service and dedication of poll workers throughout Ohio for their work in helping to administer elections in their local communities.

Filed petitions

People who recently have filed candidacy petitions in Lake County are Chuck Klco for Leroy Township trustee and Christopher L. Biro for Willoughby Hills Council at large.

In Geauga County, Michael Farrell for Claridon Township trustee, Jim McCaskey for Munson Township trustee,

Taken out petitions

Recently signing out candidacy petitions in Lake County are Suanne Sines for Perry School Board, James R. Fodor for Painesville Council at large, and Mitch Kallay for Painesville Township trustee.

In Geauga County, Claudine Steinfurth and Michael Troyan for Auburn Township trustee; David Brockway for Claridon Township trustee; Jim Baker and Nancy Saunders for Huntsburg Township trustee; Randal C. Peterson and Lu Ann Burger for Montville Township trustee; Charles Walder for Russell Township fiscal officer unexpired term ending March 31, 2016; Erwin M. Leffel for Thompson Township trustee; Carl Sanborn for Troy Township trustee; Scott Klein and Ronald W. Wiech for Middlefield Village Council.

Deadline

The weekly deadline to submit information for this column is prior to 5 p.m. each Wednesday. Email or fax is preferred.

Fundies

n Fundraiser for Willoughby Mayor Dave Anderson, 5 to 7 p.m. May 14 at Willoughby Panini’s. See Rick Hart or Anderson.

n Fundraiser for Geauga County Commissioner Mary Samide, 4:30 to 7 p.m. May 30 at S.O.S. Inc. in Munson Township. See Samide or Jacqueline Moskal.

n Lake County Commissioner Robert E. Aufuldish, 18th annual golf outing, 11:30 a.m. registration May 31 at Powderhorn Country Club in Madison Township. See Kathie Aufuldish-Freshour or Ernie Koenig.

n Lake County Sheriff Daniel A. Dunlap’s Golf and Steak Fry, 10:30 a.m. shotgun start June 7 at Painesville Country Club. See Lu Dunlap or Frank Leonbruno.

John Arthur Hutchison

JHutchison@News-Herald.com

Twitter: @newsheraldjah

Lake County was once again in the spotlight this past week as part of ongoing discussion about the state’s upcoming biennial budget proposed by Gov. John Kasich.

The governor appeared Wednesday night at the Lake County Republican Party’s annual Lincoln Day Dinner where he worked the crowd to support his proposals that include tax reform and an expansion of Medicaid.

Also in attendance were other statewide officials including Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted and Ohio Supreme Court Justice Judith L. French, whom Kasich appointed Jan. 1.

Noting of his surroundings, Kasich immediately acknowledged he will need to appoint a new Lake County Probate Court Judge and he joked that everyone in the room seemed to be a candidate.

All kidding aside, the governor has not backed down on his desire to accept federal funding to help Ohio expand Medicaid despite objections from conservatives who continue to voice concerns that it will lead to more government dependency and who say there is no guarantee that the federal government will honor its pledge to provide 100 percent funding for the first three years.

Many Republicans aren’t happy with the governor’s budget proposal because of the Medicaid expansion. Democrats typically are pleased by the expansion but oppose the budget on many other points especially the idea to expand the sales tax base to include services that are not subject to the tax.

How the state budget shapes out will likely have an impact on how the governor is perceived if and when he formally announces a re-election campaign.

As the 2014 election of statewide office holders starts to come into focus, Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald appears to be the front-runner in the Ohio Democratic Party to run against Kasich.

If FitzGerald does in fact run for governor that would create an opening for Cuyahoga County executive.

Among the local Democratic names who may have an interest is state Rep. Armond Budish of Beachwood, who served as Ohio House Speaker in 2009 and 2010.

Prior to this development, many thought Budish would (and still may be) consider a run for Ohio Senate District 25, which includes half of Lake County.

Budish is termed out and cannot seek re-election to the Ohio House and sources indicate he’s considering a run for executive.

Ohio Senate District 25 could also play out to be important statewide, as state Sen. Nina Turner, D-Cleveland, who currently represents the district, could run for Ohio Secretary of State in 2014. She hasn’t made a decision on whether to seek re-election or to run statewide.

Activists and supporters really want her to run for statewide office and the Ohio Democratic Party even released a website www.RunNinaRun.org to urge her to do so.

If Budish and Turner run for the aforementioned offices, that potentially opens the door for two former state Reps. — Ed Jerse of Euclid, and Kenny Yuko of Richmond Heights.

Jerse last served as a state legislator in 2004, when he could not seek re-election due to term limits. That opened the door for Yuko’s election and he also served four terms before term limits prevented him from running last November.

Jerse also has some experience campaigning in Lake County as he ran for Ohio’s 14th Congressional District in the 2004 Democratic Primary, when he finished second to Capri S. Cafaro, who now is a state senator representing District 32, which includes a portion of Geauga County.

Fundies

n Dennis Morley will host a kickoff fundraiser for his Eastlake mayor campaign, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. April 17 at Trader Jack’s Riverside Grille in Eastlake. See Donna Vaughn or Barb Morley.

n Lake County Commissioner Judy Moran will host a fundraiser from 5 to 7:30 p.m. April 18 at Dino’s Banquet Center in Willoughby. See Kathy Russo.

n Willoughby Hills Councilman Kevin D. Malecek’s Annual Cinco De Mayo Fundraiser, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. May 1 at Willoughby Hills Community Center. See Malecek or Nora Colburn.

John Arthur Hutchison

JHutchison@News-Herald.com

Twitter: @newsheraldjah

Now that former Gov. Ted Strickland has made a decision that he will not run for governor in 2014, expect to see decisions fairly soon from other Democrats.

Gov. John Kasich, a Republican, has not officially announced that he would seek re-election next year, but all signs point to him running.

Kasich will present a formidable challenge for any Democratic opponent after seemingly rebounding after essentially coming up on the losing end of statewide referendum in November 2011 to repeal Senate Bill 5, which aimed to limit collective bargaining rights for public employees.

Expect Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald to make a decision on whether he will run for governor fairly soon. FitzGerald also would be up for re-election in 2014, so he may need to make a choice.

FitzGerald appears to be acting like a candidate as he spoke of his interest to a crowd at the Ohio Democratic County Chairs Association on Wednesday night in Columbus. Reports indicate he fell short of making an official announcement or decision.

Others mentioned as possible candidates are U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Niles, and former U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton, D-Copley. Former Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray also has been mentioned, but he is not permitted to discuss politics because he is chief of the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

State Sen. Nina Turner, D-Cleveland, appears to have a solid interest in running for Ohio Secretary of State in 2014.

Turner represents Ohio Senate District 25, which now includes Ohio House District 60, which contains  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 Heights and other eastern Cuyahoga County communities.

If Turner decides to run for statewide office, and a decision will likely happen soon, she would leave an opening for her state Senate seat that will be on the ballot in 2014.

Would someone locally have an interest, such as Eastlake Mayor Ted Andrzejewski, who ran in a Democratic primary for county commissioner last year, or Willowick Democrat James Helmink, who ran in a primary for Ohio House District 60 last year?

How about former state Rep. Kenny Yuko, D-Richmond Heights? Remember, Yuko was termed out in the Ohio House last year.

Absentee, provisional wrap-up

During the Nov. 6 election, more than 1.86 million voters in Ohio cast absentee ballots.

That includes more than 1.26 million by mail and more than 600,000 cast in person, Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted said.

That’s up from 2008, when the total number of absentee ballots cast, both by mail and in person, was roughly 1.74 million.

Husted attributed the increase two key policy changes implemented for the first time — all registered voters received an absentee ballot application in the mail and uniform days and hours statewide that included an increase in the number of voting hours available.

Husted did not mention in his news release that a court ruled that Ohio should have in-person voting hours on the final weekend before the election.

Husted’s office also issued a report on provisional ballots that stated of the 208,087 provisional ballots cast, 173,765 (83.5 percent) were counted, up from 166,870 (80 percent) in 2008.

Of the 34,322 provisional ballots rejected this year, 20,119 (58.6 percent) were not eligible to be counted because the person was not registered to vote in Ohio.

Nearly 40,000 provisional ballots were rejected in 2008.

Picked up petitions

People who have officially signed out petitions from the Lake County Elections Board to run for office Nov. 5 are: Ray Kirchner, Janet Dowling and Scott Marn, each for Mentor Council at large; Chris Galloway and Paul Malchesky for Concord Township trustee; Bill Brotzman for Madison Township trustee; Phillip S. Haskell for Perry Township trustee; Amy Cossick for Painesville Township trustee; John G. McCallister for Mentor Council at large and Mentor School Board; Troy D. Elam and David R. Eva for Mentor-on-the-Lake mayor.

Candidates for nonpartisan races for the General Election have until Aug. 7 to file their petitions.

John Arthur Hutchison

JHutchison@News-Herald.com

Twitter: @newsheraldjah

President Barack Obama won Ohio by a slightly higher margin than initially reported after provisional and later arriving absentee ballots were included in the official count for Ohio.

Unofficial results available the night of the election had Obama winning Ohio by two percentage points and it was enough for the state to be put in the win column for the president who was on his way to an Electoral College victory.

It’s not as important now, but it’s interesting to note that the official results certified Thursday by Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted show that Obama beat Republican nominee Mitt Romney by three percentage points.

Obama defeated Romney 2,827,621 to 2,661,407 or 50.67 percent to 47.69 percent, official results show.

In this case, and in the grand scheme of things, one percentage point really isn’t that big of a deal. It’s over, nothing has changed.

The addition of provisional and later arriving absentee ballots for the Nov. 6 election favored the Democratic presidential ticket.

Because the race was fairly close the provisional ballots could have played a much larger role had the election in Ohio been just a little bit closer.

What if Romney had been slightly ahead in Ohio on election night and then the state’s electoral votes came down to waiting for the addition of the provisional and absentee ballots?

Obviously that wasn’t the case, and Obama went on to secure the necessary 270 Electoral College votes even without Ohio.

I was surprised that Ohio was called in Obama’s win column on election night so quickly — a little after 11 p.m.

This wouldn’t be a remake of the 2000 presidential election when terms like hanging chads were in vogue as the nation waited to see how the vote in Florida would be concluded.

In Lake County, the addition of provisional and later arriving absentee ballots also favored leaned toward the Democratic presidential ticket as 2,461 votes were added to Obama’s official total and 1,594 votes to Romney’s. Official figures show that Romney won the county 58,744 to 57,680 or 49.50 percent to 48.61 percent.

The pattern also holds true in Lake County for the U.S. Senate race between Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, and Republican Josh Mandel, who is Ohio’s treasurer.

Brown officially won Lake County 54,981 to 52,795 or 48.27 percent to 46.35 percent.

When the provisional and later arriving absentee ballots were added in, Brown gained 2,085 votes and Mandel gained 1,460 votes, when added to unofficial results.

Ryan candidacy?

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Niles, has been mentioned by some as a possible Democratic candidate for Ohio governor in 2014 as he comes from a strong base in the Youngstown area.

Others typically included in that conversation as possible candidates are former Gov. Ted Strickland and Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald.

Gov. John Kasich, a Republican, has recently indicated that he intends to seek re-election.

Ryan’s chances at a possible nomination probably weren’t helped this week when it was revealed that he was arrested by Lexington, Va. police in August for a misdemeanor charge of public intoxication, according to the Youngstown Vindicator. A Virginia judge recently dismissed the charge.

Ryan called the charge “garbage” and said that he wasn’t intoxicated, but had been walking strangely because he had thrown out his back, the newspaper reported.

The Ohio Republican Party pounced on the news and called on Ryan “to provide a credible explanation about his 2 a.m. arrest.”

Swearing in

Geauga County Probate/Juvenile Court Judge Tim Grendell, 11th District Court of Appeals Judge Diane Grendell, and Geauga Commissioner Ralph Spidalieri will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. in Geauga County Probate Juvenile Courtroom A. Ohio Supreme Court Justice Paul Pfeifer will officiate.

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

How Lake County is represented in the Ohio General Assembly in Columbus will have a slightly different look next year.

Filling the seat for Ohio House of Representatives District 60 will be John Rogers, a Mentor-on-the-Lake Democrat, newly elected Nov. 6 when he defeated Painesville Councilwoman Lori DiNallo, a Republican.

Communities in the district are Kirtland, Kirtland Hills, Mentor Wards 1-3, North Perry Village, Perry Village, Waite Hill, Willoughby Hills, the townships of Concord, Leroy, Madison, Perry and parts of Painesville Township.

According to final unofficial results (used for all information in this column, as provisional votes will be added next week), Rogers won 25,964 to 21,141 or 55.12 percent to 44.88 percent.

Rogers won each precinct in Eastlake, Mentor-on-the-Lake, Willowick, Fairport Harbor, Grand River, and Lakeline. He also prevailed in Painesville, winning nine of 10 precincts, seven of nine precincts in Wickliffe and nine of 15 precincts in Willoughby.

Meanwhile, DiNallo won each precinct in Timberlake and the two Painesville Township precincts that are part of the district. She also won six of nine precincts in Mentor.

Overall, Rogers won 67 precincts and DiNallo won 16.

State Rep. Ron Young, R-Leroy Township, will remain in the Ohio House, where he’ll represent the new 61st District. He defeated Painesville Township Democrat Susan McGuinness. Young won 31,491 to 26,420, or 54.38 percent to 45.62 percent.

Communities in the district are Eastlake, Fairport Harbor, Grand River, Lakeline, Mentor Ward 4, Mentor-on-the-Lake, Painesville, parts of Painesville Township, Timberlake, Wickliffe, Willoughby and Willowick.

Young, who won his second consecutive term, won each precinct in Kirtland, Kirtland Hills, Leroy Township, North Perry Village, Perry Village, Perry Township and Waite Hill.

He also was the victor in seven of 10 precincts in Painesville Township, 16 of 25 precincts in Mentor, four of seven precincts in Willoughby Hills and 13 of 14 precincts in Concord Township.

McGuinness won six of 10 precincts in Madison Township. Both candidates won one of two precincts in Madison Village and tied with 433 votes each in Willoughby Hills Precinct CC. Overall, Young won 59 precincts and McGuinness won 22 precincts, plus the one tied precinct.

In the race for Lake County recorder, Concord Township Democrat Ann Radcliffe defeated appointed Recorder Jason Wuliger, a Kirtland Republican.

Radcliffe won 52,502 to 47,353, or 52.58 percent to 47.42 percent.

She also won each precinct in Eastlake, Mentor-on-the-Lake, Painesville, Willowick, Fairport Harbor, Lakeline, Madison Village and Timberlake. Radcliffe was the victor in 18 of 34 precincts in Mentor, eight of nine precincts in Wickliffe, 12 of 15 precincts in Willoughby, eight of 10 precincts in Madison Township, eight of 11 precincts in Painesville Township.

Wuliger won each precinct in Kirtland, Concord Township, Kirtland Hills, North Perry Village, Perry Village and Waite Hill. He also won four of seven precincts in Willoughby Hills.

Both candidates won two of four precincts in Perry Township, one of two precincts in Leroy Township, and tied with 296 votes each in Mentor Precinct 4H.

Overall, Radcliffe won 103 precincts and Wuliger won 53 precincts.

Lake County’s new state senator

Some Lake County residents may not realize that starting in January there will be a second state senator representing the county in Columbus.

State Sen. Nina Turner, D-Cleveland, represents Ohio’s 25th Senate District that will be comprised of Ohio House Districts 8, 12 and 60. Her term expires at the end of 2014, so she was not on the Nov. 6 ballot.

Turner attracted some national attention this past week with her criticism of Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted, accusing him of enacting policies of voter suppression and hinting she might run for the office in 2014, and with what she views as a war by Republicans on women’s reproductive rights, specifically citing a state bill that would ban abortions after doctors can detect a fetal heartbeat.

Prior to reapportionment, all of Lake County was all within Ohio Senate District 18, which is represented by state Sen. John Eklund, R-Munson Township, who retained his seat Nov. 6 after defeating Democrat Jim Mueller.

Now the Ohio 18th Senate district will consist of House Districts 61, 75, 76, which is half of Lake County, two-thirds of Geauga County and all of Portage County. It no longer includes any of Cuyahoga County.

John Arthur Hutchison

JHutchison@News-Herald.com

Twitter: @newsheraldjah

Might state Sen. Nina Turner run for Ohio Secretary of State in 2014?

Turner, D-Cleveland, represents Ohio’s 25th Senate District that in January will be comprised of Ohio House Districts 8, 12 and 60 after reapportionment takes effect. Her term expires at the end of 2014.

Ohio House District 60 will consist of 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.

Ohio House Districts 8 and 12 consist of other communities such as Euclid, Richmond Heights and other eastern Cuyahoga County communities.

Turner was asked in a video interview with Marc Kovac, statehouse bureau chief for Dix News and The Youngstown Vindicator, if she might run for Ohio Secretary of State in 2014.



“I’m considering all of my options, including that one,” Turner said.

She was then asked why she might consider that race when she still has eligibility to run again for Ohio Senate. Turner didn't shy away from criticizing current Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted.

“I could run again for the Senate, but you know given what Ohioans had to face in this last presidential election, given that SOS now stands under Husted’s leadership (for) Secretary of Suppression,” Turner said.

“It is very important that the citizens of the state of Ohio have someone that understands that voting should not be partisan, that everybody in this state should have the right and access to vote and certainly our current secretary of state doesn't understand that."

In the video, Turner declined to comment on the likelihood that she will be a candidate for Ohio Secretary of State.

“We’ll see. I have to get through this session, we’ll see,” she said.

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

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

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