By Deidra Reese of Ohio Voice
We are on the verge of being awakened from a long nightmare where reasonable people will engage their constituents in open and authentic ways, where voters will know that their voice is louder than the pocketbook of the wealthy and partisan ambition. Much like Langston Hughes opined in his I Dream A World poem, I imagine a state and nation where “greed no longer saps the soul, nor avarice blights our day”. I look forward to the time when reasonable policy discussions and decisions no longer take a back seat to the infighting over which group is more or less conservative than another group. I remember a time when legislatures actually legislated and represented their communities. It was not that long ago when the common thread in our legislature was people and not partisanship. I remember when legislators were true public servants and not politicians. Although we still have many public servants, they are marginalized by the partisans who seek to advance their careers and street cred, along with extremists who have no regard for the damage many of their policies cause.
We should never face another instance where thousands of citizens show up to protest a horrible bill and they are locked out of the “people’s house” while the legislature enacts a bill so clearly unpopular as was Senate Bill 5 in 2011. Nor should the response of the legislature to a citizen’s referendum be to make it more difficult to bring future issues to the ballot.
I strongly encourage you to VOTE YES on this November’s statewide Issue 1, not because it is perfect, but because it is a step in the right direction to getting us back on track. Yes on Issue One improves our government by creating fair districts and fair elections and thus, true representation. I don’t expect for there to always be agreement, and it is certain that laws will still pass and fail that make me cringe. But, in a true democracy, legislators represent the will of the people.
In a true democracy, elected officials know who they are accountable to on Election Day, and as such they seek to listen, learn and legislate based upon their community’s needs and wishes. Yes on Issue 1 makes significant steps in the right direction because it respects the process, so that the outcomes are reached in a fair manner. Without Issue 1, we will continue with business as usual, where there have been rollbacks in protections to women’s rights, voting laws, environmental protections, public school support, local government funding, and more. It’s past time to have fair districts and fair elections because the people of our state should not have to continue to suffer under manipulative, rigged elections that guarantee access and accountability to partisans, and not the people.
Check here to verify that you’re registered to vote.
And be sure to vote on or before Election Day! You’re encouraged to VOTE YES on Issue 1!
Early voting is taking place NOW, but only at your County Boards of Elections! (Full list of those addresses here).
- Thursday, Oct. 29: 8am-7pm
- Friday, Oct. 30: 8am-7pm
- Saturday, Oct. 31: 8am-4pm
- Sunday, Nov. 1: 1pm-5pm
- Monday, Nov. 2: 8am-2pm
ELECTION DAY 2015 is Tuesday, Nov. 3rd. Polls open at 6:30am and close at 7:30pm. You can find your Election Day polling location for your address.
#Gerrymandering #DeidraReese #Voting #Redistricting #OhioVoice #Issue1 #Elections
