News
Congress clears 2nd major coronavirus package; 3rd in the works
WASHINGTON — A second major coronavirus package cleared the U.S. Senate Wednesday and is now headed to President Donald Trump for his signature. The bill passed 90-8, with overwhelming bipartisan support. The multi-billion dollar measure aims to slow the spread of a new coronavirus and stimulate the economy as a major recession looms. Both Ohio […]
Ohio Attorney General says courts may suspend jury trials during pandemic
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost issued a formal opinion Wednesday that courts may suspend jury trials to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus, and that they may do so consistent with state and federal speedy-trial obligations, a press release announced. “Only the trial court can continue a case,” Yost said. “This opinion is a […]
Sherrod Brown has ‘mixed feelings’ about Ohio election postponement
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown gets why Ohio leaders sought to postpone Tuesday’s primary election. He just wishes the decision had been made sooner. Brown told reporters Wednesday that he has “mixed feelings” about the decision by Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton to intervene late Monday evening to prevent the […]
The Ohio Primary Election is postponed. Now what?
The dust is beginning to settle following a dizzying Monday that saw the Primary Election dragged through a press conference, challenged in court and ultimately postponed through an emergency health declaration. The election did not happen Tuesday as planned. Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, heralded for their earlier decisions amid […]
Democrats challenge LaRose’s election postponement in state Supreme Court
The Ohio Democratic Party filed a lawsuit in the Ohio Supreme Court on Tuesday challenging Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s order — issued hours before Election Day was to commence — postponing in-person voting until June. LaRose issued the directive rescheduling the elections after the CDC escalated its social distancing guidelines Monday. The guidelines are […]
EdChoice among legislation up in the air as Statehouse work paused
The April 1 deadline looms for the Ohio legislature to decide on a plan for the state’s private school voucher program. The telework policies and lack of personnel in the Statehouse may throw a wrench in that timeline. The EdChoice deadline was moved back once before so that lawmakers could debate the best plan of […]
Ballot issues on hold amid election day confusion
As the pause in the election continues, cities and school districts are left hanging on whether the funding they have asked for from voters will be coming. More than half of the Ohio counties have municipal or school issues on the ballot. In Franklin County, that includes a renovation and improvement bond issue from Columbus […]
From a mysterious pneumonia in Wuhan to a wrenched Ohio election: a COVID-19 timeline
In December 2019, the World Health Organization became aware of a strange pneumonia of unknown cause affecting 44 people in Wuhan city, in China.
Ohio’s pollworkers left in the dark throughout lengthy Monday turmoil
The confusion set in early for the pollworkers in Williams County. It was a little after 3 p.m., with the last day of early voting all wrapped up ahead of Tuesday’s primary election. Then someone came in with news: Did you hear? The governor is postponing the election! That wasn’t exactly true, as they’d later […]
Ohio state representative proposes remote meetings for public bodies
As closures and restrictions tighten across the state, one legislator wants the state to allow remote meetings for public bodies. State Rep. Lisa Sobecki, D-Toledo, filed House Bill 557 in response to other measures put in place in response to COVID-19. The bill’s language would only apply when a state of emergency is declared by […]
Judge rejects plan to postpone Ohio election; DeWine says polls closed regardless; poll workers left in lurch
With the polls set to open just 12 hours later, a Franklin County judge on Monday rejected a lawsuit — filed at the behest of the governor and secretary of state — to delay Ohio’s primary election until June due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the ruling, Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement just […]
New poll finds Biden well ahead of Sanders in Ohio
Joe Biden has the wide support of Ohio Democratic voters over Bernie Sanders, a poll released a day before the primary election finds. Both candidates have narrow leads over Trump in theoretical match-ups, a broader survey of Ohio voters shows. An NBC News/Marist poll of “likely voters” in Ohio, conducted March 10-13, shows Biden with […]