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This week the Montgomery County Board of Elections called now Senator Jon Husted in to testify about why all indications are that he does not reside in the district in which he voted and ProgressOhio was there – camera in hand.

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The Cleveland Plain
Dealer is reporting that Governor Ted Strickland plans to veto  Senate
Bill 380, a bill being pushed through by Ohio Republicans during lame
duck session.

From the Plain Dealer:

Strickland also will reject legislation touted by Republicans as needed
election law reform. Among other changes, Senate Bill 380 pushes the
start of early voting in Ohio from 35 before the election to 20 days.

"He doesn't see the evidence that the broad changes in this bill are necessary," [Strickland spokesman Keith] Dailey said.

Over
the past week, constituents used Progress Ohio's online tools to
generate 6,565 emails to the House State Government & Elections
Committee, and placed hundreds of phone calls.

Secretary of State
Jennifer Brunner, many County Boards of Elections officials, and voting
rights advocates opposed the bill. Brunner's full analysis here.

The
Ohio House and Senate had passed the bill mostly along party lines,
with Republicans voting for the changes to election law, and Democrats
voting against.

ONLINE ACTION PAGES:

Call Members of The committee

Email Members of the Committee

RELATED POSTS:

Senator Fedor Calls on Strickland to Veto Ohio Elections Bill

TAKE ACTION: House Vote on S.B. 380 Expected Early This Week

BREAKING: Ohio House Passes Anti-Voter S.B. 380 53-41

The Lame Duck Voting Law: Will Gov. Strickland Veto SB 380?

SECRETARY BRUNNER OFFERS ANALYSIS, TESTIMONY REGARDING SB 380

Progress Ohio Community Speaks Out Against Anti-Voter S.B. 380

SB 380: Statement by Secretary of State's office on Senate Passage

SECRETARY OF STATE OFFERS TESTIMONY ON PROPOSED SENATE ELECTION BILL

Could this be the end of the "Golden Week?"

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In the latest weekly address, President-elect Barack Obama took a bold stand for making decisions based on science and facts rather than ideology as he introduced leading members of his science and technology team.

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Today in Chicago, President-elect Obama held a press conference to announce key members of his energy and environment team.

The ordinance updates sections of city code covering employment non-discrimination, fair housing, public accommodations and ethnic intimidation.

The sections are similar, but not uniform in listing who is covered, though commonly, race, religion and sexual orientation are included. Sexual orientation was added to the housing and accommodation code in 1984, and to the others in 1992.

The updates add gender identity or expression and, if the sections don't already have them, sex, ancestry, age, disability and familial status.

No Ohio or federal law prohibits discrimination by sexual orientation or gender identity, although a bill to add them is currently in the state legislature. Four other Ohio cities include both in their non-discrimination ordinances: Cincinnati, Toledo, Dayton and Oxford.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Email Priscilla Tyson's aide and express your support for the revisions: cgwilliams@columbus.gov

Attend the City Council meeting on Monday, December 15 at 5 PM: Columbus City Hall Council Chamber, 2nd Floor 90 West Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215

Governor Ted Strickland sent a letter to us yesterday in thanks for our "Road To Economic Recovery" Town Hall event.

In it he thanked Progress Ohio, the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing In Ohio (COHHIO), and Jobs with Justice for sponsoring the event, and addressed Ohio's budget deficit. He also wrote that he has asked President-Elect Obama to work with Congress to provide $100 Billion in Block Grants To The States and $3.2 Billion in additional TANF funds to the states.

The letter was distributed at the event and was very well-received. Many of the specific issues Strickland referenced in his letter had been discussed by the panelists and by the participants during the discussion portion of the evening.

Click here to read the letter in its entirety.

Democrat Marian Harris has defeated Republican Brad Lewis in the race for an Ohio House seat representing part of Franklin County, election results released this evening show.

Harris padded her 40-vote post-election lead to 735 votes after the Franklin County Board of Elections counted thousands of provisional ballots over the weekend.

Harris got 48.13 percent of the vote to Lewis' 47.08 percent, while Libertarian Michael Johnston got 4.79 percent.

Harris will represent the 19th district, which spans from Westerville to Canal Winchester.

STATEMENT:  Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern on Marian Harris' Victory in the 19th House District

Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern issued the following statement on Marian Harris' victory in the 19th House District race:

"Marian Harris' victory tonight means that residents of the 19th House District will have a great advocate working with Governor Strickland to rebuild Ohio's economy."