COLUMBUS – Follow the money. That often repeated admonition is one of the reasons I am voting "no" on Constitutional Issues 2-5 Nov. 8.
Last week I outlined why I supported Issue 1, so I will not cover that issue again this week. Issues 2-5 could negatively alter the way we conduct elections in Ohio for many years to come.
Anyone watching television or listening to the radio the last few weeks could not avoid the commercials supporting and opposing these issues. Unfortunately, like so many campaign ads, they are not designed to help voters understand the issues.
I have had the opportunity to read information from both supporters and opponents, and attend presentations where these same opponents and proponents spoke. I am basing my opinions on this information, not the rhetoric on the airwaves.
Issue 2 is not necessary. Governor Bob Taft signed legislation into law last week that will give all registered voters the opportunity to vote by absentee ballot. There is one big difference between the Constitutional Amendment and the legislation. The legislation requires voters to show proof of their identity before they vote. The amendment does not.
It's called "no excuse" or "no fault" absentee balloting because all a voter has to do is request an absentee ballot from his or her local board of election. You can vote from the comfort of your home. Furthermore, if there are problems with absentee voting, they can be changed through legislation. It is not very easy to change the Constitution.
Issue 3 would place limits on campaign contributions and lower the amount currently permitted. Unfortunately, while this may sound like a good idea, the amendment does not do that for everyone. This amendment would allow wealthy individuals and labor unions to spend unlimited amounts of money, while limiting everyone else to contributions of $1,000.
You need only look at who is funding the campaign to pass Issues 2-5 to see the potential impact on every statewide election. Campaign finance reports show the money to support passage of these issues is coming from out of state, and from organizations that tend to have more Democratic and liberal interests.
Issue 4 would change the way we draw legislative districts to create what supporters call "balanced competitive districts." The stated goal is to make races more competitive, thereby making elected officials more accountable to voters. Ironically, an independent group that is not accountable to voters will make the decisions on district lines.
Demographics and "communities of interest" like townships, cities and villages will not be as important as balance. Opponents of this issue circulated one map depicting potential congressional districts with much of Brown County sharing a district with residents of the southern portion of the city of Columbus. What do residents of these communities have in common? Not much.
Under our current system legislative districts are redrawn every 10 years to reflect shifts in population, not in the number of Democrats and Republicans. A court reviews the districts to ensure they are constitutional, and do not disenfranchise groups of voters. The people who approve these districts are accountable to voters.
Issue 5 eliminates the Secretary of State's election-related duties and establishes a separate board of nine members. Again, these individuals are not accountable to voters. Under current law, a Democrat and Republican oversee the election process at every local board of election. It is hard to get more balanced than that.
A lot is at stake in this election when it comes to these Constitutional Amendments, and both proponents and opponents are spending big money to make their point.
This is not a grassroots campaign to change Ohio's election laws. Wealthy out-of-state individuals hired an out-of-state company to collect signatures on petitions. Now those same individuals and the liberal groups they support are spending big money to support passage of Issues 2-5.
The campaign finance reports are very revealing. Follow the money. I did, and that is one of the reasons I am voting "No" on Issues 2-5.
To contact Senator Tom Niehaus call (614) 466-8082, e-mail him at tniehaus@ mailr.sen.state.oh.us, or write to him at the Ohio Senate, Room 38, Statehouse, Columbus, OH 43215. Please include your home telephone number.
