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Catholic voters at a crossroads
One-quarter of registered voters are Catholic, and they're trying to decide how to merge faith into the political process

Catholic voters will make up about one-quarter of the electorate this year, as they did in the last three presidential races. WKSU’s Kabir Bhatia reports on the key swing block of voters in Ohio, and its varied views on faith and voting.
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UPDATED: U.S. Supreme Court opens weekend voting for Ohio voters
Ohio's secretary of state sets new hours for weekend voting after he loses U.S. Supreme Court appeal S

UPDATE: HERE ARE THE HOURS OHIO SECRETARY OF STATE JON HUSTED JUST SET FOR VOTING THE WEEKEND BEFORE THE NOV. 7 ELECTION:
Saturday, November 3, 2012 – 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Sunday, November 4, 2012 – 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday, November 5, 2012 – 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

The U.S. Supreme Court has turned down Ohio’s attempt to curtail early voting the weekend before election day. Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted and Attorney General Mike Dewine, both Republicans, had asked the high court to overturn district and appeals court rulings.
The lower courts had ruled a state law that would bar most people from voting in person on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday before election day was unconstitutional because it values some voters rights over others.

The Obama campaign had challenged the law. In a statement after the Supreme Court ruling today, the campaign said, “This action from the highest court in the land marks the end of the road in our fight to ensure open voting this year for all Ohioans, including military, veterans, and overseas voters. We now turn our full attention to educating Ohio voters on when and how they can vote.” The states 88 county boards of elections must now figure out what hours to establish for early voting. In 2008, and estimated 93,000 votes were cast that final weekend. Most of them were in Democratic areas.
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UPDATED: Ohioans will vote the weekend before the election after all
After U.S. Supreme Court ruling, Ohio's Secretary of State sets hours for Nov. 3, 4 and 5; Democrats call for more

UPDATE: COMPLETE, IN-PERSON EARLY VOTING HOURS ARE LISTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS STORY.

UPDATE: Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted has issued the following statement on today's U.S. Supreme Court decision: “Despite the Court’s decision today to deny our request for a stay, I firmly believe Ohio and its elected legislature should set the rules with respect to elections in Ohio, and not the federal court system. “However, the time has come to set aside the issue for this election.  “Today I have set uniform hours statewide, giving all Ohio voters the same opportunities to vote in the upcoming presidential election regardless of what county they live in.”

  Ohio’s Secretary of State has set in-person voting hours for the weekend before the Nov. 6 election after losing an appeal today to the U.S. Supreme Court. WKSU's M.L. Schultze has more ont he early voting battle in the battleground state:
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U.S. Supreme Court clears the way for Ohio early voting
GOP says it's ready to play by the early voting rules

It's now clear that early, in-person voting the weekend before Election Day is going to take place in Ohio after all. That’s because the nation’s highest court has rejected an appeal of lower court rulings that found the state’s new law banning such voting is unconstitutional. Ohio Public Radio’s Jo Ingles reports.
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Retiring Congressman pushes for higher gas tax
Outgoing Congressman Steve LaTourette advocates a much needed, but unpopular political reality

When you buy a gallon of gasoline, 18.4 cents in taxes go to the Federal Highway Administration.  Retiring Republican Congressman Steve LaTourette of Geauga County says that tax is too low, and generates only about half the money the nation needs to maintain its highway system.  WKSU’s Jeff St.Clair spoke with LaTourette about his plan to raise the gas tax, an idea LaTourette admits, is a long-shot.
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Ohio fight turns from right to vote to getting out the vote
U.S. Supreme court clears the path for voting on the weekend before elections; GOP says it's ready, too

Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has decided that Ohio voters can vote in person on the weekend before the election, Democrats are turning their efforts toward getting people to actually do so. WKSU’s M.L. Schultze has more on the next steps.
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Sparks expected to fly in Senate debate
Democratic, Republican strategists agree Brown/Mandel debate could get heated

The two candidates locked in the nasty battle for US Senate in Ohio – incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown and Republican treasurer Josh Mandel – meet for their first of three debates today at the City Club of Cleveland. Ohio Public Radio’s Karen Kasler will be moderating the debate, and she talked to two longtime political strategists for a preview.
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Teens talk up voting
High school students make their voice heard about the importance of voting in this upcoming election



It’s not all that unusual to have a presidential election where 40 percent of American adults don’t vote. Yet today, about 250 teenagers, most of whom aren’t even old enough to vote, gathered at the Ohio Statehouse to talk up the idea of voting and getting involved in politics. Ohio Public Radio’s Bill Cohen has their story.
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Mandel vs. Brown fills the Cleveland City Club
Mandel says he would have opposed auto rescue; Brown says it saved jobs and whole industries

The candidates in Ohio’s hotly contested U.S. Senate race had their first debate today in Cleveland.  Incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown and his challenger, Republican state Treasurer Josh Mandel,  traded barbs at the Cleveland City Club before more than a thousand supporters.  Brown called Mandel dishonest in his campaign ads, and attacked him for not supporting the auto rescue.
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Paul Ryan speaks in Cincinnati
Ryan references the presidential debate as a way to cut through the clutter

Paul Ryan delivered a message of hope and prosperity to hundreds of supporters at Lunken Airport in Cincinnati Monday. The Republican vice presidential nominee said the choice is really clear if voters want a dynamic growing economy.
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Every Ohio vote counts; even those in jail
Voting rights groups files suit over absentee voting for those in jail

You know it’s a close and important election in Ohio when the Get-out-the-Vote efforts include people in jail.  That’s the subject of a new lawsuit filed against Ohio’s Secretary of State. WKSU’s Mark Urycki explains
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Crowd and candidates battle in first Ohio Senate debate
Sherrod Brown and Josh Mandel bring their heated campaign tone to the Clevland City Club.

Ohio’s U.S. Senate candidates took their election fight to Cleveland today for the campaign’s first debate. Incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown and challenger, Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel argued about jobs, taxes and truth at the Cleveland City Club. As WKSU’s Kevin Niedermier reports, the candidates are locked in one of the country’s most expensive and closely watched Senate races.
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Michelle Obama rallies OWU students
First Lady visits Ohio Wesleyan University Monday afternoon.

First Lady Michelle Obama was at Ohio Wesleyan University earlier this (Monday) afternoon where she encouraged students to vote early. She said it's important to remember every vote counts.
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Senate candidates meet for the first time Monday
Brown vs. Mandel is a national headliner

Candidates for U.S. Senate in Ohio debate Monday afternoon in Cleveland and later in the week in Columbus. For Ohio Public Radio, Tom Borgerding reports that, unlike races for statewide office, candidates for Senate often include national and international issues in their pitch for votes.
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Polls equipped for disabled Ohio voters
Secretary of State Jon Husted says improvements have been made

Ohioans who are vision-impaired, or not able to walk easily, should find it relatively easy to cast ballots at polling places. In an interview with Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles, Secretary of State Jon Husted says improvements have been made to make sure Ohioans who have disabilities also have the opportunity to cast a ballot in person.
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Campaign signs illegal in right-of-way
Campaign workers put signs out but shouldn’t try to take them away

With thousands of eyes going by every day, the medians of interstates and the grassy areas beside on- and off-ramps seem ideal places to put campaign signs. But even though they’re all over the place, it’s actually illegal to place those signs in public rights-of-way. Nancy Burton speaks for ODOT, and notes that often campaign volunteers put those signs out, but she says they shouldn’t try to take them away.
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