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| May 10, 2010 Voters authorized two statewide ballot issues during Tuesday's primary election, but supporters of at least six more proposals are working to get their issues certified for a vote. At this point, only one voter-initiated issue has been cleared to grace the 2010 General Election ballot - a referendum on a new law that authorizes installation of up to 17,500 video lottery terminals at seven horse racetracks. Other proposals dealing with federal health care legislation, farm animal care, and state sovereignty, face a June 30 deadline for submitting their petitions to ensure a spot on the Nov. 2 ballot. That leaves less time than in previous years since voters amended the constitution to extend the time for review to 125 days prior to the General Election. The horseracing industry will be closely watching the VLT referendum, which could forestall ongoing efforts to legalize slot machines at racetracks. Last month Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner said LetOhioVote.org obtained well over the necessary 241,000 valid signatures. Ms. Brunner also unsuccessfully asked the Ohio Supreme Court to force the committee to reveal the donors behind a $1.5 million contribution from the New Models Co. of Virginia. The Ballot Board will meet sometime in the summer to hash out the final wording that voters will see when determining the fate of the referendum, according to Brunner spokesman Patrick Galloway. LetOhioVote spokesman Carlo LoParo said he expected the issue committee would gear up for a campaign when election season draws closer. Health Care: Debate over a federal health care measure hasn't ended yet in Ohio as a group of Tea Party supporters began collecting signatures this week for a constitutional amendment to block any law that requires Ohioans to participate in a health care system. The Ohio Liberty Council, a loosely knit coalition of local Tea Party groups, must collect 402,000 valid signatures in less than two months to get the measure certified for the ballot. On Monday, the Ballot Board certified the group's proposal as a single issue weeks after splitting it into two parts. The all-Republican Ohio Supreme Court previously agreed with the council's argument that the provisions reasonably constitute a single purpose to allow Ohioans to choose their own health care coverage. (See Gongwer Ohio Report, April 29, 2010) Sovereignty: Attorney General Richard Cordray on Monday certified a proposed constitutional amendment that seeks to rein in the power of the federal government. Three related amendment proposals have been submitted to the Attorney General for approval in recent months, and each has been rejected for various reasons. Supporters must wait until the Ballot Board meets Thursday next week to determine whether the proposal constitutes one or multiple issues before they can begin circulating signatures, according to the Secretary of State's Office. Livestock: Another measure that has a reasonable chance of appearing on the November ballot is a proposed constitutional amendment that would revise the Livestock Care Standards Board, which voters approved last year. Backed by the well-funded Humane Society of the United States, the Ohioans for Humane Farms campaign has been gathering signatures for months to place on the ballot proposed standards that would ban certain confining livestock practices, prevent sick animals from entering the food production line, and bar certain methods of euthanasia. The state's major agriculture and commodity groups oppose the measure, setting the stage for a lively campaign if it makes the ballot. |
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