With a heated and controversial race for the White House, attention is shifting to local elections that are occurring in each county all over the United States.
For Dayton, there are several important issues and races going on that many voters may not be aware of.
Local elections can be confusing at times and hard to understand. Here is a simple break down of some elections happening in Montgomery County.
The first race is the U.S. Senate race. It goes across the state. There are five people running for the United States Senate. One Republican, one Democrat, one Green party and two independents.
Rob Portman, is a Republican currently running for reelection. Portman takes a more moderate stance on some issues. For gay marriage, Portman says, “I believe that if two people are prepared to make a lifetime commitment to love and care for each other in good times and in bad, the government shouldn’t deny them the opportunity to get married.” However, some of said that he only changed his position on gay marriage because his son came out. Portman has said that while it influenced him, it was not the only reason he changed his stance.
Portman would like to replace the Affordable Care Act Ohio with a plan that will have patient-centered reforms that, according to Portman, will lower costs and increase choices for Ohioans. Portman is also pro-life and he is pro-second amendment. Portman rescinded his endorsement of Donald Trump after the tapes leaked of Trump in 2005. Portman has said in a statement that he will vote for the Republican Vice Presidential nominee and Governor of Indiana, Mike Pence.
His Democratic running mate, Ted Strickland, is the former governor of Ohio. Strickland is against repealing the Affordable Care Act, saying that it would be costly and dangerous. According to Strickland, he would like to improve and expand the Affordable Care Act even more. For higher education, Strickland said that he would expand pell grants and the Perkins Loan Program.
Strickland has endorsed Hillary Clinton and recently spoke at a campaign event with Vice President Joe Biden here at Sinclair in Building 20.
There is also a Green party candidate, Joseph DeMare, running and two non party candidates running. DeMare supports a $15 minimum wage. According to DeMare, he supports a simple, inexpensive, national health care system and he is against ObamaCare. DeMare, while he classifies himself as pro-choice, is against abortion and supports, according to DeMare, fighting the cause of abortion, which he says is rape and poverty.
Tom Connors, one of the non party candidates, is pro-life and against Common Core. He also opposes Amnesty.
Each Congressional district has their own race. It will differ on ballots, depending on which district a voter lands on. However, for Dayton, there are three candidates running for Congress.
Robert Klepinger is the Democratic nominee. According to Klepinger, he supports lowering interest rates on student loans and he supports the Affordable Care Act. Klepinger would like to strengthen labor laws by, according to Klepinger, guaranteeing them overtime pay. He also supports raising the minimum wage. Klepinger describes himself as an unabashed Democrat. He believes that once a citizen turns 18, they should automatically registered to vote. Klepinger is against building walls and says that it is wrong and racist.
Tom McMasters is an independent candidate for Congress. He would like to strengthen the military and he supports Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Mike Turner, Republican and current Representative of the House, is running for reelection. Congressman Turner opposed the Affordable Care Act and would like to reform and repeal it. He opposes amnesty and, according to Turner, he wants to secure the border and protect the rights of legal immigrants.
Two County Commissioner positions are up for reelection. Judy Dodge, a Democrat who currently holds a position is running against Republican Bob Matthews and Deborah Lieberman, a Democrat who is also running for reelection, is up against Republican Gary Leitzell. Leitzell is a former Dayton mayor and Matthews is the Board of Trustees Vice President.
There is a proposed charter amendment that would increase income tax for Daytonians by a quarter percent. According to Nan Whaley, the Dayton mayor, the money will go towards preschool in Dayton and also for municipal services. “It will fund preschool for all Dayton four year olds, street paving, park improvements, emergency and police services,” she stated in her press release.
Each ballot, depending on district and county, will look a little different. If you would like to see a personalized ballot, go to voterfind.com and follow the steps. It will take you to your own ballot for your region, so that way you will have the information you need when you vote.
Laina Yost
Managing Editor