Progress Ohio | RussC's Blog: No "Party Affiliation" on Franklin County ballots

Post from RussC's Blog:

No "Party Affiliation" on Franklin County ballots

By RussC - Nov 7th, 2007 at 4:34 pm EST

Also listed in: Worthington Area Democratic Club | Upper Arlington Progressive Action

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I was expecting to see "Republican" or "Democrat" under the names of the candidates for Columbus Mayor, City Council, and Board of Education candidates. Instead, there was no party affiliation, just like the judges.

The ballots for last year's General Election had party affiliations.

The printout tapes from the ES&S iVotronic machines also said "REP-" or "DEM-" before candidates' names last year. No such prefix this year.

When was this change made? Anyone else notice this?

Reader Comments

Weird

By Average Jane Nov 7th 2007 at 4:53 pm EST

By all means, complain RussC. Anyone who gets money from the Dem/Repub party, clearly is a Dem/Repub.

Re: Weird

By Peter Nov 7th 2007 at 4:58 pm EST

Municipal races are always nonpartisan in Columbus and in many of the surrounding suburbs. That is nothing new.

Re: Weird

By Peter Nov 7th 2007 at 5:02 pm EST

I should add that that is the reason the Republicans played the name game running an O'Grady and a Tyack for municipal office. No listed party affiliation makes it difficult for voters who know they have voted for a Dem O'Grady or Tyack in the past to know it was actually a Republican this time around.

It arguably cost Patsy Thomas her seat on the bench and came somewhat close to working against Hearcel Craig on Council.

Thomas loss

By Average Jane Nov 7th 2007 at 5:29 pm EST

It seems that Patsy did lose in a name game...and I'm sorry to hear that. I hope she finds meaningful employment.

Joe Mas is another loser in the Municipal Court race who I don't know personally, but I'm told he's a good guy. He's from originally from Cuba, and I think we could use a hispanic judge here in Columbus. I wish him well too.

Re: Weird

By RussC Nov 7th 2007 at 6:00 pm EST

>Municipal races are always nonpartisan in Columbus and in many of the surrounding suburbs. That is nothing new.

OK. Thanks for the clarification. And for pointing out the Tyack ploy, which I knew about, but hadn't thought about the "Party Affiliation" angle.

Re: Weird

By RussC Nov 7th 2007 at 6:04 pm EST

The lack of "Party Affiliation" should be stressed when the Franklin County Democratic Party asks for people to pass out Democratic Sample Ballots at the polls on election day.

Your onto something, Russ

By Doug Nov 8th 2007 at 1:13 am EST

I'm wondering if the lack of party affiliation for municipal races is a city or county policy?

I went to Wayne County's BOE website and election results were given with D's and R's for municipal races. There was no sample ballot to compare it to Franklin County's sample. Repubs outnumber Dems in Wayne Co. by a wide margin.

I suspect that Republican election operatives realize that "R" is a scarlett letter and unfortunately Dem appeasers exist.

Re: Your onto something, Russ

By Doug Nov 8th 2007 at 1:52 am EST

Party affiliation on the ballot for city races must be based on each city's law. I found a sample ballot on Cuyahoga County's BOE website for the city of Berea which HAD party affiliations listed.

Link

Re: Your onto something, Russ

By User from Hilliard, OH Nov 8th 2007 at 12:09 pm EST

Russ,

It's based on local law.

I just finished an 18-month stint on the charter review commission for Hilliard, which is one of the few Columbus suburbs that has partisan elections. Despite logic and lack of discernible differences, the majority of the commission voted to retain partisan elections. Since the entire city Council is Republican, I have no doubt that the partisan issue will be retained if Council decides to put the new charter up for a citywide vote.

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