(Plain Press, November 2018)        The General Election will be held on Tuesday, November 6^th. Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. To view a ballot ahead of time or check your polling location visit boe.cuyahogacounty.org.

   Early voting at the Board of Elections (2925 Euclid Avenue) will be available on Saturday November 3 from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.; Sunday November 4^thfrom 1-5 p.m. and Monday November 5 from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.

   The General Election Ballot will feature candidates running for statewide offices, candidates for the State House and the State Senate, candidates for the United States House of Representatives, and candidates for the United States Senate. Several Cuyahoga County positions are being contested in this election including the Cuyahoga County Executive and several of the Cuyahoga County Council positions. In addition, the ballot will include judicial candidates for the Ohio Supreme Court, Court of Appeals and Courts of Common Pleas. The ballot also includes one statewide issue and three Cuyahoga County Charter Amendments. 

   To view and print out sample ballot, look at the voter information you received in the mail for your ward number and precinct letter. Go the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections website at boe.cuyahogacounty.us. Click on View Ballots. Enter the city name, ward and precinct and you can view what is on the ballot in your precinct. The ballot is printed in both English and Spanish.

   A number of Voter Guide Websites provide additional information on candidates and issues. Here are some choices: VOTE411.org; ballotpedia.org; Judge4Yourself.com; and Judicial Votes Count. 

            Issue One on the Statewide ballot is a constitutional amendment to reduce penalties for crimes of obtaining, possessing and using illegal drugs. If adopted, the amendment would: • Require sentence reductions of incarcerated individuals, except individuals incarcerated for murder, rape, or child molestation, by up to 25% if the individual participates in rehabilitative, work, or educational programming. • Mandate that criminal offenses of obtaining, possessing, or using any drug such as fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine, cocaine, LSD, and other controlled substances cannot be classified as a felony, but only a misdemeanor. • Prohibit jail time as a sentence for obtaining, possessing, or using such drugs until an individual’s third offense within 24 months. • Allow an individual convicted of obtaining, possessing, or using any such drug prior to the effective date of the amendment to ask a court to reduce the conviction to a misdemeanor, regardless of whether the individual has completed the sentence.• Require any available funding, based on projected savings, to be applied to state-administered rehabilitation programs and crime victim funds.• Require a graduated series of responses, such as community service, drug treatment, or jail time, for minor, non-criminal probation violations. 

For analysis supporting Issue One visit Policy Matters Ohio’s website at: policymattersohio.org. For an opposing view visit the Ohio State Bar Association website at: http://www.NoOnIssue1.org.