For First Time In History, Today Ohio Senate Seeks To Cancel Referendum By Repealing Law

For the first time in Ohio history the Ohio Assembly is set to repeal a law that is subject to a referendum. The Ohio Senate today will vote to repeal HB-194.

In protest to the Republican voting suppressing law, HB-194, Democrats worked to place a referendum on the November ballot to repeal the measure. Over 300,000 signatures were certified. The Obama campaign is urging Ohioans to protest this move by Republicans to frustrate the referendum process.

Friend —

We’ve all spent the last year fighting for our voting rights, so you need to hear this:

Republican state legislators are planning to quietly bypass Ohio’s voters tomorrow by attempting to put a stop to this fall’s HB 194 referendum that folks like you worked so hard to put on the ballot.

Instead of giving Ohio’s voters the chance to reject HB 194 in November, they want to repeal the law — and we can only imagine what they’re primed to replace it with.

This Republican majority has put up roadblocks to the early and absentee voting that nearly one-third of Ohioans used to cast their votes in 2008.

When they passed HB 194, supporters like you fought back, gathering over 300,000 signatures to put this law up for a referendum on November 6th. The other side can see that Ohio is ready to repeal this law once and for all — but they don’t want to give voters that chance.

We can’t let them get away with it.

So before the Republicans in Columbus head for their vote, will you join me in making a pledge that no matter how things shake out today, you won’t let up in this fight?

We don’t know exactly what’s going to happen tomorrow — and we have to be ready for whatever they throw at us.

These politicians are not only ignoring the will of Ohio’s voters — they’re actively trying to silence our voices. Consider this: Ohio’s legislature has never before repealed a law that is the subject of a referendum.

Just as we did last spring, and again in the fall, we’re going to do everything we can to make ourselves heard. And if the past year is any indication, we can’t let up for one minute while these attacks on voting rights continue.

Add your name, and say you’ll fight back whenever our voting rights are threatened:

http://ohio.barackobama.com/Fight-for-Voting-Rights

Stay tuned,

Greg Schultz
Ohio State Director
Obama for America