Tim Burga, President of the Ohio AFL-CIO joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss Ohio’s upcoming special election. Burga discussed the importance of maintaining the current approval procedure and some changes to be aware of when voting.
On Aug. 8, in-person voting will occur for Ohio’s special election. The labor community has the momentum going that Burga believes is necessary to prevent State Issue 1 from passing. Early voting has been a big help to the labor community as polling shows a favorable decision at this time. He added that the groups involved will continue to spend the next week before the in-person voting begins encouraging voters to go to the polls and “Vote No on Issue 1.”
The former Ohio governors and attorney generals that are joining together show that Issue 1 is greater than party lines, Burga said. The ability to pass amendments with a simple majority is a lynchpin to the democratic process. Taking away this right is damaging not only to the people of Ohio but the future of law-making in the state. No matter someone’s affiliation, if they review the contents of Issue 1, Burga believes they’ll vote no to protect their ability to impact their state's government.
The changes in requirements for voters in the special election have caused some problems for early voters. The primary change is the requirement that voters present a state-issued ID in order to vote. Burga also said that limiting the number of drop-off locations for early ballots has created an issue, as many voters are forced to drive out of their way to reach these locations. To ensure registered voters are prepared, the Ohio AFL-CIO has produced handouts to educate voters on the changes and what is needed to vote at the polls on Aug. 8.
Listen to the entire episode to learn more.