The American Democracy Minute Radio Report & Podcast for June 7, 2024
Today’s Script
(Variations occur with audio due to editing for time. Today’s Links below the script)
You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping YOUR government by and for the people.
Ohio has an Aug. 7th deadline for November’s candidate certification. Problem is, Joe Biden wasn’t going to be nominated until the Democratic convention beginning Aug. 19th. What’s an Ohio legislature to do? Try and stop citizen ballot initiatives, of course.
State legislatures routinely pass housekeeping bills to accommodate such discrepancies with state law. But not this year. The legislative majority was spanked by the voters in 2023 after the legislature backed changes to ballot measure rules in August, trying to derail a reproductive rights initiative in November.
This November’s ballot initiatives include a ballot measure replacing Ohio’s politician-run redistricting commission with a citizen-run body, and enshrining the fundamental right to vote, including early voting and voting by mail.
The Ohio Capital Journal reports that negotiations for the fix began in early May, passing a House committee. Seeing a partisan opportunity, extreme Republican Senate leaders rolled in SB 215, a bill expanding a ban on foreign contributions to ballot measures to include foreign nationals living and working legally in the U.S. The Associated Press reports that a group funding the November Issue 1 reproductive rights campaign received donations from a legal U.S. resident, Swiss billionaire Hansjorg Wyss.
When national Democrats organized a pre-convention online nomination instead, and DeWine berated his fellow Republicans, Senate leadership offered to pass the fix, if the foreign funder legislation was passed, too. In a special legislative session, both the fix and ban were passed, and signed by the governor.
Find more on this unnecessary drama at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
Ohio Capital Journal – (Commentary) An obscure provision of Ohio law could keep Biden off the ballot in November
Ohio Capital Journal – Ohio legislative leaders say Biden ballot fix won’t happen through lawmakers
Ohio Capital Journal – Ohio House agrees to Biden ballot fix compromise if ‘anti-democratic’ Senate provisions removed
CBS News – (2023) Ohio’s 2023 abortion fight cost campaigns $70 million
Associated Press – Ohio’s Republican governor signs measure ensuring Biden appears on the fall ballot
BallotPedia – Ohio 2024 Ballot Measures
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