COLUMBUS – Candidates were expected to spend a last full day of campaigning around Ohio before voters select a new governor Tuesday and decide a U.S. Senate race and some closely contested congressional seats.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 6. Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.
While Democrat Richard Cordray is locked in a tight gubernatorial race with Republican Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown is considered the favorite in his race with his Republican challenger, Rep. Jim Renacci.
A closely contested U.S. House race pits Democrat Danny O’Connor against former GOP state Sen. Troy Balderson in central Ohio’s 12th District.
Voters also will determine whether to reduce sentences for possession of certain drugs, among other measures.
If passed, Issue 1 would make offenses related to drug possession and use no more than misdemeanors and create a program to reduce sentences for participation in rehabilitative, work or educational programs.
Opponents argue the reforms contained in the proposed constitutional amendment are too broad and would lead to the most lenient drug laws in the country, allowing drug traffickers to walk the streets.
They contend it would weaken the authority of prosecutors and judges to make and enforce laws, and eliminate incentives to encourage drug treatment.
“You don’t actually have to complete the programming. You don’t have to actually demonstrate that you’ve been rehabilitated. There’s no opportunity for input from the victim from the prosecutor or from the judge before the decision is made to release the person 25 percent early. And it’s not limited to nonviolent offenses, it’s not limited to drug offenses,” says Louis Tobin, executive director of the Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association, which opposes the issue along with the Fraternal Order of Police, the Buckeye State Sheriff’s Association and the State Bar Association.
Supporters say Issue 1 will improve public safety by freeing-up resources for addiction treatment, crime prevention and crime-victim services.
“We can’t keep investing $1.8 billion a year in our current prison budget, and if you don’t change things, they’re probably going to have to start talking about building a new prison in Ohio to the tune of another $2 billion just to build it,” said Stephen Johnsongrove, deputy director of Policy at the Ohio Justice and Policy Center.
Currently at 130 percent capacity, Ohio has the fourth highest prison population in the country.
Those aligned against Issue 1 also point out the reforms – once included in the state’s constitution – would be difficult to change if they don’t work.
But, Johnsongrove says lawmakers had their chance.
“The legislative attempts to shrink the prison population and reinvest that money into something productive have not worked. There have been at least four attempts and they’ve failed and failed and failed again. And people cannot wait, people are dying, and we have got to do something meaningful,” he said.
More than 770,000 signatures of support were gathered to get the measure on the ballot, and supporting organizations include the ACLU, the Ohio Education Association and the Ohio Society of CPAs.