Republicans were out in field while Democrats were neutral in Ohio

[Algorem]

http://www.cleveland.com/newsflash/cleveland/index.ssf?/base/news-20/113157895040830.xml&storylist=cleveland

11/9/2005, 6:24 p.m. ET
By JOHN McCARTHY
The Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — ...

While the Republican volunteers were calling supporters and doing other get-out-the-vote chores, Democrats stayed neutral at the request of the issue's backers, a group known as Reform Ohio Now, said Ohio Democratic Party spokesman Brian Rothenberg. The group presented the package as bipartisan.

The result was higher turnout in most Republican-leaning counties than those that usually vote Democratic. None of the four issues passed in any county, the closest being Issue 2, which lost 51 percent-49 percent in both Athens and Summit counties. Issue 2 would have allowed absentee voting by anyone, without an excuse needed. The four as a group lost by an average of 68 percent-32 percent.

Even in counties featuring big-city mayor's races where all the candidate were Democrats, turnout was low: Cuyahoga (Cleveland), 36 percent; Hamilton (Cincinnati), 35 percent; and Montgomery (Dayton), 36 percent. Only Lucas County (Toledo) exceeded the state average of 40 percent among those counties, with 47 percent.

Republican strongholds, such as Crawford (49 percent), Warren (46 percent) and Preble (46 percent) had higher-than-average turnout. However, Hancock County, considered among the most Republican-leaning in Ohio, reported just 38 percent...


Ohio Democratic Party: http://www.ohiodems.org

Ohio Republican Party: http://www.ohiogop.org

[Connie_Corleone]

1. This is what I and other Ohioans have been saying since last night.

Diebold wasn't the reason we lost this time.

(On edit: I'm not saying the Diebold problem doesn't exist.)

[MuseRider]

2. Never ever let that happen.

That happened here with our Marriage Amendment. It was so quiet, hardly something hard fought. Never let it happen. Make some noise, we lose like this every time.

[OzarkDem]

3. Hilarious, Naymik is delusional

The backers of RON (mostly people who were not from Ohio) hired an expensive, crappy consultant. Period.

The whole project was ill conceived and a waste of money. Let's hope those who support election reform don't go off half-cocked next time.

[A Brand New World]

4. I received a taped phone call from John Glenn regarding

issues 2-5 at lunchtime on election day. Urged me to vote "yes" on all four. So there was some effort to GOTV. I'm assuming the sponsor was Reform Ohio Now. I don't remember.