EARLY VOTING HOURS
- Weekdays from until Oct. 31 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except for Oct. 30 when the office is open until 7 p.m.
- The office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 26 and Nov. 4, and from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 2
- The office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Nov. 1
Source: Butler County Board of Elections
VOTERS GUIDE ONLINE
Candidates running for office in Butler and Warren counties have been asked to participate in our annual voters guide. You can access the voters guide at vote.journal-news.com
Rep. Wes Retherford offered testimony earlier this week in support of House Bill 206, a bill he introduced that would create a license plate for the Disabled American Veterans.
Under the bill, which has 20 co-sponsors including Reps. Tim Derickson and Pete Beck, $25 from every special plate would be contributed to the DAV of Ohio. The money generated from the plate sales are required to be used for programs that serve disabled veterans and their families.
According to Retherford’s office, at least 500 Ohioans would purchase the special plate based on a petition in support of the action.
The bill would also require a $10 bureau of motor vehicle administrative fee to be able to issue the special plates.
The bill is currently in Transportation, Public Safety and Homeland Security committee.
Shutdown rewind
More than 65 percent of the members of the U.S. House and more than 80 percent of the U.S. Senate voted to end the government shutdown — and four members of Congress (one senator and three representatives) did not cast a vote.
Speaker of the House John Boehner admitted on the radio that the House Republicans did not succeed in their goal of defunding Affordable Care Act at any level. However, the political battle over the health care law commonly called Obamacare isn’t over.
“The House has fought with everything it has to convince the president of the United States to engage in bipartisan negotiations aimed at addressing our country’s debt and providing fairness for the American people under Obamacare,” Boehner said. “That fight will continue. But blocking the bipartisan agreement reached today by the members of the Senate will not be a tactic for us.”
The West Chester Twp. Republican went on to say his party’s “drive to stop the train wreck that is the president’s health care law will continue.” He said he and fellow House Republicans will “rely on aggressive oversight” in order to identify believed flaws and “smart, targeted strikes that split the legislative coalition the president has relied upon to force his health care law on the American people.”
The House and Senate had formed a committee of its members to address many of the issues and drivers of the national debt and deficit, and look at improving the job market in the country.
“There’s no higher priority than strengthening our economy for middle-class families and small businesses,” Boehner said. “Our negotiating team will pursue real reforms that address the drivers of our debt, get control of spending and put us on a path to a balanced budget, and expand opportunity for all Americans.”
Candidate deadline
Candidates for office that spent or raised a collective $1,000 must file a pre-general election campaign finance report with the county Board of Elections by 4 p.m. Thursday, which is 12 days before the Nov. 5 general election. The reports must detail contributions and spending through Oct. 16.
The Ohio Secretary of State and county boards of elections were required to send notice to candidates about filing the pre-general election campaign finance reports by Oct. 14.
About the Author
