Secretary of State, Frank LaRosa

The primary election plan unanimously agreed to by the Ohio Assembly will dramatically reduce voter participation. Of course, participation will be suppressed at this point, regardless. But the plan approved by the Assembly advances the worst solution to a difficult problem.

I am flabbergasted that every Democrat in the Ohio Assembly agreed to this absurd decision. I can’t understand why our Democratic members of the Assembly did not support the clearly superior plan proposed by Secretary of State, Frank Larosa. I’m hoping there is more to this story than I know.

If the goal is to encourage voter participation, the Larosa plan is preferable because this plan clearly would result in many more people voting than the plan approved by the Assembly. Just the requirement to pay for the needed postage would discourage some voters. Greatly reducing the number of days that voting is allowed would have an impact. Why did Democrats not support the better plan?

What the Assembly unanimously agreed to:

• The Ohio Secretary of State must design, print and mail approximately 7.8 million informational postcards to every registered Ohioan that explains to them how to obtain the form necessary to request an absentee ballot.
• Based on preliminary estimates from prospective vendors, it is expected that these postcards will reach registered voters in the second week of April.
• Voters who want to cast a ballot must then either print out an absentee ballot request form themselves or call their county board and ask for one to be sent to them.
• Voters must then affix their own postage and send the request to their county board of elections.
• Boards must then process the request, print the ballot and send it to the voter.
• Each voter must receive their ballot, cast their vote, and return the ballot in a postage-paid envelope, postmarked by April 27th.

What Secretary of State, Frank LaRosa, proposed:

• The Secretary of State would directly mail postage-paid absentee ballot request forms to the approximately 7.2 million registered Ohioans who have not yet voted. These forms would arrive at the homes of voters around April 27th. This plan would essentially skip the step of sending informational postcards.
• Interested voters would send their postage-paid requests back to their boards, who in turn would process the request, print the ballot and send it to the voter.
• Voters would have until June 1 to postmark their ballot in a postage-paid envelope for submission and tabulation at their county board of elections.
• This plan afforded all voters a fair, safe opportunity to cast their ballots by mail and a limited in-person voting opportunity, pending the public health emergency being lifted, for Ohioans with disabilities and those who can not receive mail.

The beautiful community room at new Kettering Library at Wilmington and Stroop is reserved this evening for a get-togther for area Democrats for the purpose of meeting Democratic candidate Albert Griggs Jr and discussing his vision for flipping Republican control of Senate District Six.

Albert Griggs Jr. — candidate for the Ohio Senate — will meet with Democrats this evening, March 9, at the beautiful new Kettering Library at the corner of Wilmington and Stroop Rd. There will light refreshments from 6:00 PM to 6:45 PM and then Griggs will make a short presentation starting at 6:45 PM. All Democrats and all interested voters are welcome to attend.

The topic of Griggs’ presentation is, “The Campaign To Build A 21st Century Democracy.”

Griggs is seeking the Democratic Party’s nomination for Senate District Six. The Democratic Primary is Tuesday, March 17. Senate District Six has elected a Republican to the Ohio Senate for the last 35 years — reliably contributing to the big Republican 24-9 super majority. It is a huge geographic area consisting of about two-thirds of Montgomery County.

Griggs says that the dysfunction of our democracy is our biggest issue, and that Democrats can gain public support by structuring a grassroots “for-democracy” movement that builds unity. He believes that this is the issue that will inspire non-voters and unaffiliated voters to support his campaign. His plan calls for empowering citizens with opportunities to fully participate in an “E-Democracy” — a on-line participatory democracy — he is initiating.

Albert points out that because we fail to elect a government of the people Ohio’s tax system is opposite of what most citizens think is fair. He feels that that Republicans must be held accountable for cutting expected state payments to cities and schools in order to cut state income taxes for the very wealthy. He points out that in this latest tax cut, the one percent of Ohio income earners — average income over $1 million each year — will receive 20% of the tax cut. Meanwhile these tax cuts for the wealthy have forced an increase in property tax, sales tax, and other local taxes for everyone else.

Griggs pointed out that now low income earners are now paying twice as much of their income in state taxes than high income earners.
Albert Griggs says:

“Our tax system is very unfair. It is a tax system that a government of the people would never have implemented.

“The central issue of our time is the brokenness of our system of representative democracy. The suppression of the vote has been very deliberate. The lack of transparency and accountability of the Ohio Assembly has been very deliberate. The central battle of our time is between those of us who welcome democracy and those who resist it at every turn.

“I like Martin Luther’s words, ‘Here I stand I can do no other.’ In this 2020 election, our opportunity is to challenge voters to take a stand — a “for-democracy” stand. This is the issue that can bring citizens together in unity. I believe the more that Democrats show an answer to the degradation of our democracy, the more we will gain the support that will flip this Republican district. The public is hungry for something real.”

“I have a plan and structure for building unity, a plan for empowering citizens and giving them a voice. I have a plan for how as senator I will be accountable.

I appreciate Albert’s life story and his determination. Albert was born in Mississippi in a share-cropper family. He remembers not having adequate food or clothing. He grew up in Gary Indiana, in the same general neighborhood as the Jackson family and worked for eight years in the steel mills there. He served two years in the navy. He later served as a police officer in Los Angeles. Through a lot of determination he earned two graduate degrees and started on the ground floor as a civilian in the Air Force rising to the GS-15 rank. He oversaw billion dollar projects. He served one year as an Air Force Fellow working with our Democratic congressman, Tony Hall.

I am glad to endorse Albert. He is sincerely motivated to serve and to use his life experiences to provide the leadership that will make a difference.

I am looking forward to meeting with fellow Democrats at a get-together this evening at the new Kettering Library at Wilmington and Stroop Rd. I hope there is a good turn-out. All interested voters are welcome to attend.

See:  The Montgomery County Democratic Party Shows Blatant Favoritism In Democratic Primary Endorsements

Glad to be with my friend Albert Griggs Jr. (on left) today at the West Carrollton library. Albert is seeking to be nominated to be the Democratic Party’s candidate for the Ohio Senate representing this region — District Six. Albert gave a short presentation explaining his vision for how Democrats can win this Republican District. His talk was illustrated with a power point and was entitled, “Building a 21st Century Democracy In The Sixth District.” There was a good discussion with the Democrats who attended the meeting. The Democratic Primary is March 17.

Albert Griggs Jr. — candidate for the Ohio Senate — met with West Carrollton Democrats today and discussed his campaign to win this Republican dominated district.

This Senate District Six has elected a Republican to the Ohio Senate for the last 35 years — reliably contributing to the big Republican 24-9 super majority. It is a huge geographic area consisting of about two-thirds of Montgomery County.

Griggs says that the dysfunction of our democracy is our biggest issue, and that Democrats can gain public support by structuring a grassroots “for-democracy” movement that builds unity.  He is calling his plan, “The Campaign To Build A 21st Century Democracy.” This calls for empowering citizens with opportunities to fully participate in an “E-Democracy” — a on-line participatory democracy — he is initiating.

The goal is to bring citizens from all over the district to network together and to bring grassroots leadership to local jurisdictions.

Albert points out that because we fail to elect a government of the people Ohio’s tax system is opposite of what most citizens think is fair. He feels that that Republicans must be held accountable for cutting expected state payments to cities and schools in order to cut state income taxes for the very wealthy. He points out that in this latest tax cut, the one percent of Ohio income earners — average income over $1 million each year — will receive 20% of the tax cut. Meanwhile these tax cuts for the wealthy have forced an increase in property tax, sales tax, and other local taxes for everyone else.

Griggs pointed out that now low income earners are now paying twice as much of their income in state taxes than high income earners.

Albert Griggs says:

“Our tax system is very unfair. It is a tax system that a government of the people would never have implemented.

“The central issue of our time is the brokenness of our system of representative democracy. The suppression of the vote has been very deliberate. The lack of transparency and accountability of the Ohio Assembly has been very deliberate. The central battle of our time is between those of us who welcome democracy and those who resist it at every turn.

“I like Martin Luther’s words, ‘Here I stand I can do no other.’ In this 2020 election, our opportunity is to challenge voters to take a stand — a “for-democracy” stand. This is the issue that can bring citizens together in unity. I believe the more that Democrats show an answer to the degradation of our democracy, the more we will gain the support that will flip this Republican district. The public is hungry for something real.”

“I have a plan and structure for building unity, a plan for empowering citizens and giving them a voice. I have a plan for how as senator I will be accountable.

I am glad to endorse Albert. He is sincerely motivated to serve and to use his life experiences to provide the leadership that will make a difference.

I appreciate Albert’s life story and his determination. Albert was born in Mississippi in a share-cropper family. He remembers not having adequate food or clothing. He grew up in Gary Indiana, in the same general neighborhood as the Jackson family and worked for eight years in the steel mills there. He served two years in the navy. He later served as a police officer in Los Angeles. Through a lot of determination he earned two graduate degrees and started on the ground floor as a civilian in the Air Force rising to the GS-15 rank. He oversaw billion dollar projects. He served one year as an Air Force Fellow working with our Democratic congressman, Tony Hall.

Al Griggs, I believe, is the Democrat who can flip this district.

• His maturity and experience will help deliver the message that what motivates Al is a desire to serve — not political ambition.
• His moderation will appeal to Republicans considering making the switch.
• His experience as a navy veteran and civilian leader in the Air Force will resonate with many veterans and Air Force employees.
• His conviction that unless we can make our democracy robust, our republic is headed for destruction will resonate with many voters who are making the same conclusions.
• His understanding of systems and the specific plans to build unity and to give voters a voice — his “Campaign To Build a 21st Century Democracy” — will attract support.
• His building an “E-Democracy” structure to empower voters will attract support.
• His advocacy of specific changes in the Ohio tax laws will attract support.
• His life story and his understanding through his own experience of the challenges of the poor and his advocacy for the underprivileged will attract support.

I was glad to attend today’s meeting in West Carrollton and Monday, March 9, I am planning on supporting Albert by attending his meeting with voters at the Kettering Library at Wilmington and Stroop.  The meeting starts at 6:00 PM with light refreshments and Albert will begin his presentation at 6:45 PM.  All Democrats are invited to attend.

See:  The Montgomery County Democratic Party Shows Blatant Favoritism In Democratic Primary Endorsements