Combined ballot

See Also:   Information for the County of Butler
(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
  2,695,125 votes 50.17%
• Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan, Republican
  2,588,711 votes 48.19%
• Gary Johnson/James P. Gray, Libertarian
  47,234 votes 0.88%
• Jill Stein/Cheri Honkala, Green
  17,849 votes 0.33%
• Richard Duncan/Ricky Johnson
  12,141 votes 0.23%
• Virgil Goode/Jim Clymer, Constitution
  7,873 votes 0.15%
• Stewart Alexander/Alex Mendoza, Socialist
  2,868 votes 0.05%
• Jill Reed/Tom Cary (Write-in)
  8 votes 0.00%
• Mike Vargo/Jeff Angeletti (Write-in)
  8 votes 0.00%
• Randall A. Terry/Cathy Lewis (Write-in)
  2 votes 0.00%
• Nelson Keyton/Jay Jennelle (Write-in)
  2 votes 0.00%
• Susan E. Daniels/Jerry A. Veneskey (Write-in)
  1 votes 0.00%
• Platt Robertson/Scott Fall (Write-in)
  0 votes 0.00%

US Legislature

United States Senate

• Sherrod Brown, Democratic
  2,644,425 votes 50.35%
• Josh Mandel, Republican
  2,366,373 votes 45.06%
• Scott A. Rupert
  240,783 votes 4.58%

United States Representative; District 8

• John A. Boehner, Republican
  239,221 votes 99.86%

State Senate

State Senator; District 4

• Bill Coley, Republican
  101,280 votes 100.00%

State Representative; District 51

• Wes Retherford, Republican
  24,011 votes 57.33%
• Mark N. Hardig, Democratic
  17,868 votes 42.67%

State Representative; District 52

• Margaret Conditt, Republican
  37,671 votes 66.27%
• Robert C. Coogan, Libertarian
  3,919 votes 6.89%
• Cynthia Pinchback-Hines, Democratic (Write-In)

State Representative; District 53

• Timothy Derickson, Republican
  27,797 votes 60.91%
• Suzi Rubin, Democratic
  17,836 votes 39.09%

State Representative; District 54

• Peter Beck, Republican
  37,866 votes 100.00%
• Donna C. Chilcote, Democratic

Judicial

Justice; Ohio State Supreme Court; 6 Year Term Starting 1/1/13

• Terrence O'Donnell, Republican
  2,719,106 votes 69.33%
• Mike Skindell, Democratic
  1,203,017 votes 30.67%

Justice; Ohio State Supreme Court; 6 Year Term Starting 1/2/13

• William M. O'Neill, Democratic
  2,038,590 votes 52.33%
• Robert R. Cupp, Republican
  1,856,752 votes 47.67%

Justice; Ohio State Supreme Court; Unexpired Term Ending 12/31/14

• Sharon L. Kennedy, Republican
  2,278,789 votes 57.29%
• Yvette McGee Brown, Democratic
  1,699,170 votes 42.71%

Justice; Ohio State Court of Appeals; District 12

• Stephen W. Powell, Republican
  241,124 votes 78.67%

Issue 1 Question presented pursuant to Article XVI, Section 3 of the Constitution of the State of Ohio

Article XVI, Section 3 of the Constitution of the State of Ohio reads as follows:

"At the general election to be held in the year one thousand nine hundred and thirty-two, and in each twentieth year thereafter, the question: `Shall there be a convention to revise, alter, or amend the constitution[,]' shall be submitted to the electors of the state; and in case a majority of the electors, voting for and against the calling of a convention, shall decide in favor of a convention, the general assembly, at its next session, shall provide, by law, for the election of delegates, and the assembling of such convention, as is provided in the preceding section; but no amendment of this constitution, agreed upon by any convention assembled in pursuance of this article, shall take effect, until the same shall have been submitted to the electors of the state, and adopted by a majority of those voting thereon."

SHALL THERE BE A CONVENTION TO REVISE, ALTER, OR AMEND THE OHIO CONSTITUTION?

YES

NO

Issue 2 To create a state-funded commission to draw legislative and congressional districts

Proposed by Initiative Petition

To add and repeal language in Sections 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9 and 13 of Article XI, repeal Sections 8 and 14 of Article XI, and add a new Section 16 to Article XI of the Constitution of the State of Ohio

The proposed amendment would:

1. Remove the authority of elected representatives and grant new authority to appointed officials to establish congressional and state legislative district lines.

2. Create a state funded commission of appointed officials from a limited pool of applicants to replace the aforementioned. The Commission will consist of 12 members (4 affiliated with the largest political party, 4 affiliated with the second largest political party, and 4 not affiliated with either of the two largest political parties) who will be chosen as follows:

a. On or before January 1 of the year that the decennial census is conducted, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Ohio shall select by lot a panel consisting of eight judges of the courts of appeals of Ohio, no more than four of whom may be members of the same political party. This panel of judges shall be responsible for selecting potential members of the Commission. On or before April 1 of the year that the decennial census is conducted, this panel of judges shall appoint an independent auditor who shall assist the judges in determining the eligibility of potential members of the Commission.

b. Eligible persons may submit applications for membership on the Commission to the Secretary of State by May 1 of the year that the decennial census is conducted. The Secretary of State shall make available an appropriate application form designed to help determine the eligibility and qualifications of applicants and shall publicize the application process. The Secretary of State shall provide the panel of judges with the applications and any other records necessary to determine eligibility of the applicants.

c. On or before August 1 of the year that the decennial census is conducted, the panel of eight judges described in subparagraph A shall select from the applicants forty-two individuals to serve as potential members of the Commission. The judges, after adopting a selection procedure, shall select applicants who have the relevant skills and abilities, including a capacity for impartiality, and who reflect the diversity of Ohio. These shall include the fourteen most qualified applicants affiliated with each of the two largest political parties, and the fourteen most qualified applicants who have been unaffiliated with either of these political parties during the prior five years. The selection of potential members shall require the affirmative vote of at least five of the eight judges. The two largest political parties shall be determined based on the votes received by the candidates for Governor in the most recent gubernatorial election.

d. On or before August 15 of the year that the decennial census is conducted, the speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives and the highest ranking member of the House not of the same political party as the speaker may each respectively eliminate up to three of the fourteen potential members affiliated with the largest political party, up to three of the fourteen potential members affiliated with the second largest political party, and up to three of the fourteen potential members not affiliated with either of these parties. This shall result in a final pool of not less than twenty-four potential members of the Commission.

e. From the final pool of potential members, the panel of eight judges, or their designee, shall choose by lot, and in public, three individuals affiliated with each of the two largest political parties and three individuals not affiliated with either of these parties to serve as members of the Commission. On or before October 1 of the year that the decennial census is conducted, these nine members shall meet to select from the final pool of potential members three additional members, which shall include one member affiliated with the largest political party, one member affiliated with the second largest political party, and one member not affiliated with either of these parties. In selecting the final three members, the members of the Commission shall seek a total commission membership that reflects the diversity of Ohio and that has the relevant skills and abilities, including a capacity for impartiality, which will allow the Commission to fulfill its responsibilities. The nine members selected by lot and the three additional members selected by the original nine members shall comprise the full Commission.

f. No member of the Commission shall be subject to removal by the general assembly or any member of the executive branch.

3. Require new legislative and congressional districts be immediately established by the Commission to replace the most recent districts adopted by elected representatives, which districts shall not be challenged except by court order until the next federal decennial census and apportionment. Affirmative votes of 7 of 12 Commission members are needed to select a plan. In the event the Commission is not able to determine a plan by October 1, the Ohio Supreme Court would need to adopt a plan from all the plans submitted to the Commission.

4. Repeals current constitutional requirements for drawing legislative districts that avoid splits to counties, townships, municipalities and city wards where possible, and when not possible, limiting such divisions to only one division per governmental unit, and also repeals requirements to form as many whole legislative districts solely within a county as possible.

The foregoing would be replaced and require the Commission to adopt a plan that complies with all applicable federal and state constitutional provisions, federal statutory provisions, and the contiguity requirement and that most closely meets the factors of community preservation, competitiveness, representational fairness, and compactness. The Commission would also be required not to draw or adopt a plan with an intent to favor or disfavor a political party, incumbent, or potential candidate.

5. Mandate the General Assembly to appropriate all funds necessary to adequately fund the activities of the Commission including, but not be limited to, compensating:

a. Staff
b. Consultants
c. Legal counsel
d. Commission members

If approved, the amendment will be effective thirty days after the election.

Shall the amendment be approved?

Yes No