All politics is local.
The phrase, often attributed to the late former Speaker of the House Tip O'Neill, refers to the idea that to win elections, politicians need to be acutely aware of issues that matter at the local level, rather than the federal level. While the upcoming presidential election between former President Donald J. Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris may take all the attention, in the coming weeks we'll learn about some local and state initiatives that will be decided by voters as they head to the polls in November.
One such problem is Ohio 1will be on the ballot in November. The proposed amendment to the Ohio Constitution is considered a “Citizens' Initiative to Establish a Redistricting Commission” and would create a 15-person “non-political commission” tasked with adopting state and federal redistricting plans.
Supporters of the plan, such as Citizens Not Politicians, argue that Ohio's current law opens the door to “gerrymandering,” the process by which members of one political party draw electoral districts to favor that party, creating a situation in which elected officials choose the voters, rather than the voters choosing their representatives.
The group has released a new TV ad that brings up Jim Harbaugh, the University of Michigan football organization and last season's sign-stealing scandal to underscore the idea that all politics are local.
This isn't the first time college football has played a role in this election: The Democratic National Committee ran banners at several games earlier this season targeting voters in key battleground states.
Remember, there are still a few weeks until Election Day. At this point, you’re probably exhausted by the barrage of political ads, and there will be more to come. But go out and Vote in November.
