Combined ballot

See Also:   Information for the County of Franklin
(Elections Office, local League of Women Voters, links to other county election sites)

President/Vice President of the United States

• Barack Obama/Joe Biden, Democratic
  2,933,388 votes 51.48%
• John McCain/Sarah Palin, Republican
  2,674,491 votes 46.94%
• Ralph Nader/Matt Gonzalez
  42,288 votes 0.74%
• Bob Barr/Wayne Allyn Root, Libertarian
  19,888 votes 0.35%
• Chuck Baldwin/Darrell L. Castle, Constitution
  12,550 votes 0.22%
• Cynthia McKinney/Rosa A. Clemente, Green
  8,513 votes 0.15%
• Richard Duncan/Ricky Johnson
  3,902 votes 0.07%
• Brian Moore/Stewart Alexander, Other
  2,731 votes 0.05%
• Donald K. Allen/Christopher D. Borcik (Write-in)
  212 votes 0.00%
• Alan L. Keyes/Brian Rohrbough (Write-in)
  160 votes 0.00%
• Joe Schriner/Dale Way (Write-in)
  71 votes 0.00%
• Platt Robertson/Scott Falls (Write-in)
  63 votes 0.00%
• Jonathan Allen/Jeff Stath (Write-in)
  2 votes 0.00%
• James R. Germalic/Martin Wishnatsky (Write-in)
  1 votes 0.00%

US Legislature

US Representative; District 7

• Steve Austria, Republican
  174,915 votes 58.22%
• Sharen Swartz Neuhardt, Democratic
  125,547 votes 41.78%

US Representative; District 12

• Pat Tiberi, Republican
  197,408 votes 54.79%
• David Robinson, Democratic
  152,211 votes 42.24%

US Representative; District 15

• Mary Jo Kilroy, Democratic
  139,582 votes 45.94%
• Steve Stivers, Republican
  137,271 votes 45.18%

Attorney General

Attorney General

• Richard Cordray, Democratic
  2,885,354 votes 56.74%
• Mike Crites, Republican
  1,953,908 votes 38.43%
• Robert M. Owens, Constitution
  245,611 votes 4.83%

State Senate

State Senator; District 16

• Jim Hughes, Republican
  106,708 votes 58.06%
• Danielle R. Blue, Democratic
  77,070 votes 41.94%

State Representative; District 19

• Marian Harris, Democratic
  33,796 votes 48.13%
• Brad Lewis, Republican
  33,061 votes 47.08%

State Representative; District 20

• Nancy Garland, Democratic
  32,232 votes 51.32%
• Jim McGregor, Republican
  30,580 votes 48.68%

State Representative; District 21

• Kevin Bacon, Republican
  27,494 votes 51.55%
• Jay G. Perez, Democratic
  24,073 votes 45.13%

State Representative; District 22

• John Patrick Carney, Democratic
  36,414 votes 56.57%
• Michael H. Keenan, Republican
  27,956 votes 43.43%

State Representative; District 23

• Cheryl L. Grossman, Republican
  35,459 votes 58.74%
• Keith Goldhardt, Democratic
  24,904 votes 41.26%

State Representative; District 24

• Ted Celeste, Democratic
  33,656 votes 57.77%
• Tim Rankin, Republican
  24,605 votes 42.23%

State Representative; District 25

• Dan Stewart, Democratic
  29,712 votes 65.31%
• Daryl P. Hennessy, Republican
  15,783 votes 34.69%

State Representative; District 26

• Tracy Heard, Democratic
  40,248 votes 83.14%
• Joseph A. Healy, Republican
  8,162 votes 16.86%

State Representative; District 27

• W. Carlton Weddington, Democratic
  35,293 votes 83.09%
• Jim Hunter, Republican
  7,185 votes 16.91%

Judicial

Justice; Ohio State Supreme Court; 6 Year Term Starting 1/1/09

• Maureen O'Connor
  2,966,416 votes 67.16%
• Joseph D. Russo
  1,450,718 votes 32.84%

Justice; Ohio State Supreme Court; 6 Year Term Starting 1/2/09

• Evelyn L. Stratton
  2,660,072 votes 63.16%
• Peter M. Sikora
  1,551,751 votes 36.84%

Judge; Ohio State Court of Appeals; District 10; 6 Year Term Starting 2/09/09

• John A. Connor
  239,875 votes 58.77%
• David Goodman
  168,278 votes 41.23%

Judge; Ohio State Court of Appeals; District 10; 6 Year Term Starting 7/01/09

• Lisa L. Sadler
  215,867 votes 55.87%
• Richard D. Brown
  170,532 votes 44.13%

Issue 1 To provide for earlier filing deadlines for statewide ballot issues
Pass: 3,392,085 / 68.67% Yes votes ...... 1,547,962 / 31.33% No votes

To amend Sections 1a, 1b, 1c, and 1g of Article II of the Constitution of the State of Ohio The proposed amendment would:
1. Require that a citizen-initiated statewide ballot issue be considered at the next general election if petitions are filed 125 days before the election.
2. Establish deadlines for boards of elections to determine the validity of citizen-initiated petitions.
3. Standardize the process for legal challenges to citizen-initiated petitions by giving the Ohio Supreme Court jurisdiction to consider these cases and establishing expedited deadlines for the Court to make decisions.

Issue 2 To continue the clean Ohio Program
Pass: 3,568,228 / 69.27% Yes votes ...... 1,583,305 / 30.73% No votes

to authorize the state to issue bonds to continue the clean Ohio program for environmental revitalization and conservation; to adopt section 2q of article viii of the constitution of the state OF OHIO

Issue 3 To protect private property rights & water
Pass: 3,625,811 / 71.95% Yes votes ...... 1,413,639 / 28.05% No votes

To adopt Section 19b of Article I of the Constitution of the State of Ohio This proposed Amendment would:
1. Make explicit that a private property owner has a right to make reasonable use of the ground water that lies beneath the owner's land, although this right is subordinate to the public welfare.
2. Make explicit that a private property owner who owns land on the border of a lake or other watercourse has a right to make reasonable use of the water in such lake or watercourse located on or flowing through the owner's land, although this right is subordinate to the public welfare.
3. Not affect the public's use of Lake Erie and other navigable waters of the state.
4. Prevent the rights confirmed under this proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution from being impaired or limited by the operation of other sections of the Ohio Constitution. If approved, this amendment shall take effect December 1, 2008.

Issue 4 Withdrawn By Petitioners' Committee on September 4, 2008

Issue 5 Making changes to check cashing lending
Pass: 3,391,282 / 63.60% Yes votes ...... 1,940,951 / 36.40% No votes

Substitute House Bill 545 (H.B. 545), which was passed by the Ohio legislature and signed into law by the Governor, substantially changed the law regulating how certain lenders in Ohio operate. Under the referendum, voters must decide whether Section 3 of H.B. 545 should go into effect. Section 3 of H.B. 545 deletes the old provisions of the law regulating check cashing lenders, sometimes known as "payday lenders," in favor of the new provisions.
1. If a majority of Ohio voters approve Section 3 of H.B. 545, all short term lenders, including check cashing lenders, would be subject to the following limitations: The maximum loan amount would be $500; Borrowers would have at least 30 days to repay the loan; and The maximum interest rate would be 28% annual percentage rate (APR) on all loans.
2. If a majority of Ohio voters reject Section 3 of H.B. 545, check cashing lenders would be allowed to continue under previous law as follows: The maximum loan amount would continue to be $800; There would continue to be no minimum repayment period; and Check cashing lenders could continue to charge rates and fees, resulting in a total charge for a loan that substantially exceeds an equivalent APR of 28%.

Issue 6 Petition for a casino near Wilmington
Fail: 2,088,294 / 37.63% Yes votes ...... 3,461,430 / 62.37% No votes

To adopt Section 6a to Article XV of the Ohio Constitution This proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution would:
1. Authorize one privately owned casino with a required minimum initial investment of $600 million dollars on a 94-acre site located near the northwest corner of State Route 73 and Interstate 71 in southwest Ohio in Chester Township near Wilmington, Clinton County, Ohio.
2. Require the casino to pay a tax of up to 30% on its gross receipts for gaming less payouts. The taxes are to be used first to pay expenses of regulating and collecting taxes from the casino, then for funding of gambling prevention and treatment programs, and the remainder to be distributed in the amount of 10% to Clinton County and 90% to the remaining counties based on population and to be used at each county's discretion.
3. Reduce the tax paid by the casino authorized by this amendment to the lesser of the rate taxed on another casino or 25%, in the event another casino is permitted in Ohio in the future.
4. Require that the casino be subject to all other applicable types of taxes that are currently in effect in Ohio.
5. Authorize the casino to conduct any game permitted in the State of Nevada, or any state adjacent to Ohio, including any type of card or table games, slot machines, and electronic gaming devices, except bets on races or sporting events. Only persons age 21 and over would be permitted to place bets. Amounts of bets would not be subject to any limits now or in the future. Days and hours of operation would not be subject to limits.
6. Set aside the application to the casino of all local and state laws and any constitutional provisions that would prohibit the operation of this privately owned casino, including any local zoning law that would prohibit or place restrictions on a casino from operating on the property in question. If approved, this proposed amendment shall take effect 30 days after the election.