S.O.S. !
Here it is, a citizenship emergency. Please read and take action.
THIS WEEK SB 47, Senate Bill 47 will be voted on in the Ohio Legislature. It entails serious, even critical weakening of the Ohio citizens' right to Referendum and to Voter Initiative. That's the deal where a lot of people can sign a petition and get some issue to come before the whole electorate in November to be voted in or voted down. In this way, for instance, the people were able to override the Ohio legislature, which is firmly under Republican control, in their attempt to lay off a lot of police and teachers a couple of years ago... the collective bargaining thing. Remember? Referendum and Initiative are near and dear to my heart and should be to everyone who believes in democracy. In Ohio at present, a majority of voters are Democrats, and yet because of the Gerrymandering of district lines, the house and senate are both controlled by the Republican party. Referendum and Initiative are our only opportunities to off-set this undemocratic situation.
SB 47 revises the rules under which petitions signatures can be collected. I believe that under the present scheme the petitions can be circulated for 90 days and then submitted for examination by the Secretary of State of Ohio. All invalid signatures are then thrown out and the remaining 'good' ones counted to see if there are enough to get the measure onto the ballot in November. Meanwhile, the petitioners can continue collecting more and more signatures. Under the provisions of SB 47, however, after the 90 days, and while the Sec'y of State is examining the signatures, all collection of signatures must stop. Then if the sec'y of state finds that there are not enough signatures to get the measure on the ballot, there are 10 additional days during which the petitions may again be circulated in hopes of 'curing' the insufficiency of the signatures.
So supporters of the bill, according to Josh at Sen. David Burke's office (chair of the Government Oversight committee) say that SB 47 "clarifies" the referendum and the initiative processes. They also say that it is like in football when there is a 'flag on the play' and so all action stops while the referees decide.
I think you can see that this is a specious argument; democracy is not football. In any referendum petition there are always many, many signatures that have to be thrown out. To halt the people from collecting more during the examination period simply makes it much more difficult for any referendum petition to succeed. It is a little like all the ways in which people of that party attempt to make it harder for folks to get to the polls and vote in November... like making restricted the hours of polling places, and like shortening the access time to absentee or in-advance voting.
Convinced? Take action by looking up your Ohio Senator and Ohio Representative HERE
where you will also be given a pre-written letter you can use to email. When you get your representatives' contact info, the BEST is a hand written letter that is faxed to their office. Next best is a phone call. Third is email. Go for it!
Not Convinced yet that this is a key issue? Read what Bentley Davis says:
Since 1912, the citizens of Ohio have had the right to directly participate in our democracy through the referendum and initiative process. The ability to take an idea directly to the voting public has served as an important and valuable check on our legislative representatives.
Now they want to diminish that power.
Senate Bill 47, currently scheduled for a vote in the Senate Government Oversight Committee on Tuesday March 5 at 4pm, contains a provision that would shorten the amount of time citizen's groups have to collect signatures to place an issue on the ballot.
The referendum (ability for voters to repeal a law put in place by the legislature) and the initiative process (the ability to place an idea before the voters that the legislature has failed to act on) have served Ohio well and held our elected officials accountable for decades.
Our democracy is made stronger when everyone participates and our elected leaders are held accountable -- tell our Ohio Senate that you believe our Constitutional right to a referendum and initiative shouldn't be limited.
Send an email to your Senator now to tell them you oppose this limit on your Constitutional rights. LINK
Bentley Davis
ALSO it is worth it to phone the Republican who is chair of the committee on Governmental Oversight, Senator David Burke: 614 466 8049.
SAMPLE LETTER TO YOUR SENATOR
Committee for SB 47
Dear Senator __________:
This week, you are expected to vote on SB 47, which contains amendments to our election law. I respectfully request that you amend the bill to remove provisions which hinder our Constitutional rights to the referendum and initiative process. Specifically, please amend the bill to remove changes to ORC 3519.16 (F).
Since 1912, our Constitution has guaranteed the voters of Ohio the right for a group of citizens to hold our state elected officials accountable by gathering signatures to place an issue before their fellow citizens on the ballot. The threshold of signatures required to place an issue before voters is already substantial. Significant resources -- money, time and people -- are necessary to obtain enough valid signatures to place an issue before the voters. Removing days in which citizen's groups can collect signatures will make the process even more prohibitive, thus removing opportunities for Ohioans to participate in our democracy.
It has been suggested that our Constitution prohibits the collection of signatures while the Secretary of State reviews signature submissions. I humbly disagree. The Constitution specifically states, "If the petitions or signatures are determined to be insufficient, ten additional days shall be allowed for the filing of additional signatures to such petition." Our practice for years has allowed for continued signature collection prior to the 10-day cure day period, allowing for more citizens to weigh in on the issues that affect them.
Ohioans value our right to referendum and initiative. Please do not chip away at that right.
Sincerely,
(your name)
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