State of Ohio

Issue 1

In a highly debated topic across the nation, Ohio voters decided to protect the right to abortion where the YES vote got 56.62% according to the Ohio Secretary of State. The result is not the first red state to vote for abortion rights since the Supreme Court repealed 50 years of precedent set by Roe V Wade in 1973. Traditionally red states such as Kansas have also voted in favor of reproductive rights over the past year. As expected, counties with big cities such as Cuyahoga and Summit County voted heavily in favor of abortion rights, as small counties voted against reproductive rights. However, Ohio House Republicans have attempted to ignore the passage of Issue 1 and prevent the amendment from being put into effect. Republican representative Jennifer Gross drafted the “Issue 1 Implementation Act.” The law permits to give “exclusive authority over implementing Issue 1,” making it an impeachable offense for a judge to attempt to enforce it. Ohio Speaker of the House Jason Stephens, threw out the bill proposed by Representative Gross on November 14th according to the Ohio Capital Journal.

Issue 2

In another dividing topic, Ohio citizens voted in favor of legalizing the ownership and use of recreational cannabis for adults 21 and older. The YES vote got 56.97% of the vote according to the Ohio Secretary of State. The amendment does have certain limitations, however, such as allowing employers to prohibit their employees from using cannabis. The law also prohibits marijuana users from purchasing a firearm in the state. The law breaks decades of precedent against the legalization of marijuana, which started in the Nixon era. Ohio is the 24th state to legalize the purchase and possession of recreational cannabis, Guam and the District of Columbia also have legalized recreational Marijuana.

City of North Canton

Issue 32

North Cantononians decided to grant more money for the building of a new middle school. NCCS Director of Development and Special Projects, Mr. Tim Walker, said that “The Middle School is anticipated to be $57.6 million along with $7.0 million of renovations to the high school over the next 10 years,” Walker said. The middle school has been a mainstay in the North Canton community for decades, but needs for another new school building is needed. Walker pointed out specifically that the new, modern design of the new middle school “follows current safety and efficiency standards.” The original middle school was constructed in 1957 without many modern safety features modern schools are expected to have. The new middle school is expected to be constructed in 2027. According to Walker, the new school levy will benefit the city of North Canton for a multitude of reasons, “Anytime you have a $60 million construction project going on in your community, the local community benefits,” Walker said, “In the short term, income taxes from the contractors along with local spending on food and lodging can be a benefit. However, the long-term impact of having state-of-the-art schools in our community is beneficial to all citizens and generally helps with property values. Having great schools in a community makes North Canton a desirable place to live and work.”

Kentucky Gubernatorial Race

In a surprising victory for Democrats, Andy Beshear won re-election as Governor of Kentucky. The historically red state voted overwhelmingly for Donald Trump in 2020 by 25.9% over Joe Biden. Beshear’s re-election is another win for pro-choice supporters as he has advocated to block any abortion bans in the state. Beshear’s name has been tossed around to be a potential successor for Joe Biden as a potential Democratic presidential nominee in 2028.

Louisiana Gubernatorial Race

Louisiana voted in favor of Donald Trump-backed candidate Jeff Landry in a packed group of candidates who ran for office. The current Louisiana Governor, Democrat John Bel Edwards was unable to run due to term limits. Edwards was the only Democratic governor in the South, which is predominantly heavily Republican. Landry has been the Louisiana Attorney General since 2016. Landry has been in support of many controversial laws, such as the bill that banned gender-affirming healthcare for transgender children. President Biden’s limits on oil fracking have also received massive opposition from Landry. Landry’s election was one of few victories for conservatives across the country, as Louisiana will most likely continue to seek pro-life, anti-LGBTQ and other traditional value laws in the state under Landry.