Writer: Jerrica DuBois
2 min read November 2022 — The countdown to midterm elections is ticking for the Buckeye State, as residents prepare to head to the polls and cast their ballots on issues such as bail reform and voting rights. They also have the unique opportunity to shake up the balance of power in the U.S. Senate.
The first measure on the ballot tackles bail reform. If passed, Issue 1 would take away the power of Ohio’s Supreme Court to determine bail amounts and conditions.
Issue 1 contends that there are other factors that should be considered when setting bail, including public safety, the seriousness of the crime, the person’s criminal record, the likelihood a person will return to court and other factors as set by the Ohio General Assembly.
Initiated in March by Republican Representatives Jeff LaRe and D.J. Swearingen, the state Congress voted in favor of Issue 1, clearing the path for the measure to make it on this year’s ballot.
The right to set the rules on bail amounts and conditions for trial courts currently lies with the Ohio Supreme Court, according to the state’s constitution. Advocates for bail reform contend that cash bail disproportionately impacts poor defendants and keeps them in jail despite their constitutional right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Voting rights for noncitizens are on the line for Issue 2. The measure calls for a small but impactful wording change to the Ohio Constitution, from guaranteeing voting rights for “every citizen” of the U.S. who meets certain criteria to “only citizens” of the U.S. who do. Legal immigrants fighting for the right to vote in local elections argue that they pay taxes, yet can’t vote on offices such as mayor or city council or on levies for their kids’ schools.
Ohio would be the seventh state to take such a step if Issue 2 passes. Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Minnesota and North Dakota have already adopted the “only citizens” alternative in their state constitutions. Issue 2 could also motivate turnout for the high-stakes midterm elections.
In regard to the candidate driven races, the race for the Senate is close, and the seat could be a determinant for the balance of power for the U.S. Senate. The Senate seat is currently held by Republican Rob Portman. But Portman is not running for re-election and the junior senator seat is open. The senior seat is held by Democrat Sherrod Brown, who isn’t up for reelection until 2024.
Vying for Portman’s seat are Democratic Congressman Tim Ryan and author JD Vance, who clinched the Republican nomination after an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.
The tight margin separating the party lines in the Senate puts an even greater importance on the Ohio race. Due to the tiebreaking voting power of Vice President Kamala Harris, Democrats have a 51-vote majority in the U.S. Senate.
A FiveThirtyEight average of polls currently puts Vance slightly ahead with a 0.2-point lead over the Democratic congressman.
