Ohio
Some lawmakers again pushing to close Ohio's primary elections
Republican state lawmakers have put out at least four different proposals to close Ohio’s partisan primaries since the start of the legislative session last year.
The most recent to be introduced and heard, House Bill 437, would also prohibit candidates from running with a political party if that candidate had not voted in the party’s latest primary. HB 437 requires voters and candidates who are switching parties alike to declare their affiliation at least 90 days before an election.
“Our belief is this will help deter those who intend to manipulate the results of our primaries,” Rep. Beth Lear (R-Galena) said in her committee testimony. “Each party should have the right to determine their own candidates for general election without meddling from the outside.”
Right now, Ohio conducts partially open primaries—meaning voters in partisan elections don’t have to decide which side’s ballot they will cast until they submit their mail-in ballot application or arrive at the polls.
Secretary of State Frank LaRose, the state’s Republican chief elections official, also wants the system to shift away from that flexibility.
“We’re an outlier among states in the country that have a system like this,” LaRose said in an interview earlier this year. “I think that it would be better for us to have a system like what many other states, really most other states, have where you have to make that decision in advance.”
Ten states have closed primaries and 10 more have partly closed primaries, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Only three other states have systems like Ohio’s: Illinois, Indiana and Iowa.
But closed primary opponents, like House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington), argue changing the current system disenfranchises Ohioans.
“I’m opposed to any effort that would at all restrict voter access to the ballot. I look at closed primaries as just one more effort to restrict voters,” Russo said earlier this month.
Other closed primary iterations include Senate Bill 147, House Bill 208 and House Bill 210. The provisions laid out in these bills range, with longer and shorter time frames regulating when a person would need to be registered with a party to participate in the primaries.
Lear said she’d welcome the chance to work with any of the backers of those bills to get something to the finish line before December. So far, none of them have gotten a committee vote.
Ohio
Why Ohio State is built to ‘wake up and move on’ from a loss before the College Football Playoff
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Breathe in. Breathe out.
The dust has settled on Ohio State football’s last contest: a 13-10 loss to Indiana in the Big Ten Championship Game. Nearly 10 days have passed since the offensive line struggled to hold up, since the offense struggled to convert in the red zone and since the Buckeyes failed to accomplish one of their three major goals.
As is often the case at OSU, a loss is accompanied by anger, questions, concerns and aches.
“Sick to my stomach that we lost,” quarterback Julian Sayin said last week.
Now, after a week centered around College Football Playoff bracket debates and Heisman Trophy celebrations, Ohio State is looking to move on from the defeat in Indianapolis.
It should have little issue doing so.
The Buckeyes were in a similar, albeit more emotional and pressure-packed, situation last year. They entered the CFP off a loss, falling in shocking fashion to rival Michigan.
The final score of that contest: 13-10.
Ohio State went through some rigorous soul-searching, with coach Ryan Day and players having an emotional team meeting in which many on the roster expressed their frustrations with how the regular season ended.
The loss to Indiana isn’t as complicated. It’s simply a loss. However, the Buckeyes have experience flushing defeats before a postseason run.
“You’ve got to wake up and move on,” Day said.
As was the case last season, losing doesn’t diminish something apparent: Ohio State is a good team loaded with talent on its roster.
The Buckeyes are still betting favorites to go back-to-back this season, and statistics show why. They lead the nation in scoring defense and total defense while ranking in the top 25 of both categories on offense.
Ohio State has a slow and methodical approach on offense, but Day has expressed belief in his team’s ability to step on the pedal when appropriate. With Carnell Tate and Jeremiah Smith at receiver and Sayin under center, that belief shouldn’t falter.
“There’s still a bunch of guys in this room that know we can play with anybody in the country and beat anybody in the country when we’re on our game,” Day said.
The most pressing question left for Ohio State to answer before the CFP relates to offensive coordinator Brian Hartline. The Buckeyes’ play-caller was hired ahead of the Big Ten title game as South Florida’s next head coach.
Hartline called plays against Indiana, according to Day, and the plan is for him to do the same in the CFP. If there are concerns about his ability to balance two jobs, Day has a solution: time
USF announced Hartline’s hiring three days before Ohio State took the field at Lucas Oil Stadium. While also balancing the opening of the early signing period, Day had little opportunity to sit back and determine what was best for his offense.
The Cotton Bowl won’t present those challenges. Two-seeded Ohio State returns to action on Dec. 31 where it’ll meet the winner of No. 7 Texas A&M and No. 10 Miami in Dallas.
By then, Day will have had time to take a breath, assess the situation and determine who will run his offense.
Snow hits downtown Columbus
Snow falls outside the Ohio Theatre as downtown Columbus turns into a winter wonderland.
Columbus City Schools is closing Monday, Dec. 15, after a weekend winter storm dumped more than 5.4 inches of snow on the region and cold temperatures descended.
Following the weekend snowfall, a cold weather advisory was issued for the area, to remain in affect across central Ohio through 11 a.m. Dec. 15.
It was 4 degrees at John Glenn Columbus International Airport at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 14, with a wind chill of 16 degrees below zero.
Late on Dec. 14, CCS posted it would close Dec. 15 “due to inclement weather.” See more school closings at NBC 4 or check back with the Dispatch throughout the morning.
This list will be updated as additional information becomes available. School districts are encouraged to send an email with any delays or closures to newsroom@dispatch.com.
Snow hits downtown Columbus
Snow falls outside the Ohio Theatre as downtown Columbus turns into a winter wonderland.
Now comes the cold.
After nearly 5½ inches of snow fell Dec. 13 in some parts of central Ohio, the National Weather Service says bitterly cold temperatures moving into the region will mean highs in just the single digits.
A cold weather advisory is in affect across central Ohio through 11 a.m. Dec. 15. It was 4 degrees at John Glenn Columbus International Airport at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 14, with a wind chill of 16 degrees below zero.
Temperatures to the west and south are even colder: 1 degree in Springfield, minus-1 in Dayton and minus-3 in Indianapolis. Those temperatures are not expected in the Columbus area, though. The forecast calls for slightly warmer temperatures by evening and highs in the low 20s Dec. 15.
The record cold expected for Dec. 14 — until now, the coldest high temperature in Columbus for this date was 16 degrees in 1917 — follows a day of record snow. The weather service recorded 5.4 inches of snowfall on Dec. 13 at John Glenn Columbus International Airport, topping the prior Dec. 13 record, which was 3.6 inches in 1945.
Level 2 snow emergencies, which means roads are hazardous and people should drive only if they think it’s necessary, remained in effect in Fairfield and Licking counties.
Level 1 snow emergencies are in effect in Delaware, Franklin, Madison, Union and Pickaway counties.
Bob Vitale can be reached at rvitale@dispatch.com.
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