Issue Position: On Elections

Issue Position

Ohioans access to free, fair and accessible elections underpins the very basic principles of democracy and is the principle upon which our great nation was founded. Ensuring the integrity of our election system, and removing the pay-to-play system that has plagued our public elections even before the Citizens United court ruling, is of the utmost importance in order to ensure our government is responsible to the people of this state.

Campaign finance regulations in Ohio currently allow an individual to give more to a state legislator, who represents approximately 100 thousand people, than federal elections allow one to give to the President of the United States of America, who represents more than 300 million people. When we allow our state elections to be paid for by those few most fortunate among us the middle class families of this state lose.

Realizing the significant barrier this ruling has created for the State of Ohio, and our nation as a whole, I have introduced House Concurrent Resolution, which would call for an Article V convention to amend the United States Constitution to reassert a state's ability to regulate their own elections as they see best fit. This basic state's rights issue is one that both conservatives and liberals can get behind, as we have witnessed firsthand the destructive impact unlimited spending has had on our election system.

Even when everyday regular Ohioans are able to compete in elections, there are still far too many attacks on voter's ability to get to the ballot box and cast their vote. Under the Republican leadership of the last two General Assemblies we have seen countless attacks on voter rights, disenfranchising those who have historically been most disenfranchised. This eventually led to hundreds of thousands of Ohioans coming together to sign a petition to put the issue to the ballot, which was only undermined by Republicans who changed the law before the vote could take place.

Lorain County deserves someone that will work to increase voter participation and turnout, not further discourage it through intimidation tactics and policies that increase lines on Election Day.

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