‘This is Ohio’s last chance’: Early voters in Cuyahoga County back abortion rights, some leery about recreational marijuana

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The first voters to head to the polls in Cuyahoga County opened one of the most contentious elections in years by casting ballots on two statewide issues that have grabbed national attention.

Residents on Wednesday morning took stances on abortion rights and recreational marijuana, as well as a long list of local races and taxes, weeks ahead of the Nov. 7 election.

The local issues include the People’s Budget in Cleveland, an amendment that would give residents control over a sliver of the city’s spending, and a countywide property tax for Cuyahoga Community College.

Election offices in Cuyahoga County and across the state began offering in-person voting Wednesday. The in-person voting will continue from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays for several weeks.

The state issues are expected to attract the greatest attention. Issue 1 would place abortion rights, with restrictions, in the Ohio Constitution. Issue 2 would change state law to legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and older while setting up rules for the state to regulate the industry.

Ellen Kubit of Cleveland was at the county elections board early Wednesday. She is the campaign manager for Matthew Ahn, a candidate for county prosecutor running in the Democratic primary in May against incumbent Michael O’Malley. She said the state issues are an opportunity for residents to help Ohio.

“This is Ohio’s last chance, especially with what we saw last year with a variety of different states, who stood up, rose to the occasion, and actually took freedom seriously,” she said. “This is quite literally Ohio’s last chance.”

Kubit, like many of the early voters, came out in favor of the abortion rights.

Dr. Lauren Beene, a pediatrician and the executive director of Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights, stressed that a woman’s medical decision should be kept between her and her family. Her group is one of the groups pursuing the abortion amendment.

“I have seen how things can be tragic for people when the government is allowed to make our decisions for us,” Beene said, as she was headed to the elections board to vote.

“If we don’t pass this, it will lead to a medical disaster not only for Ohio, but it will worsen medical disasters that are already happening in other states right now for women who are not able to access the care they need.”

Voter Mark Brandt said he felt it was a woman’s right to choose an abortion. But he refused to support recreational marijuana.

“The biggest thing is car accidents go up when that becomes legal, and I just think vehicle safety is a big thing,” Brandt said.

Dr. Arthur Lavin, a retired pediatrician from Beachwood, voted in favor of abortion rights. He stopped short of that on Issue 2 because he is “apprehensive about chemicals that damage the brain.”

Other voters said they will not vote to legalize marijuana because they are concerned that people with mental health issues will use the plant to self-medicate.

Voters also supported a property tax increase for Cuyahoga Community College, which some have said serves as an economic engine in the county. It estimates that a 2.1 mill-renewal and 0.4-mill increase will add $14.04 a year to the costs for the owner of a $100,000 home.

The People’s Budget amendment would set aside about 2% of the city’s general fund each year – about $14 million based on this year’s budget – to give residents control over how it’s spent. An 11-person steering committee would oversee how residents vote on spending for projects.