Over the past weekend, the Rev. Al Sharpton visited Cincinnati to speak at a benefit that would kick off a voting rights drive here in the state of Ohio. Some of the guests in attendance included: State Rep. Alicia Reece (Bond Hill), president of the Cincinnati chapter of the National Action Network Rev. Bobby Hilton, State Senator and Secretary of State challenger Nina Turner and ex-voter fraud convict Melowese Richardson? Yes, you read that right.
Melowese Richardson, who was released early on a five-year felony sentence for voter fraud, spoke on behalf of our state’s failed voting laws and how her conviction was “racially motivated.” Richardson was convicted because she decided to vote on behalf of various friends and family members. How can we possibly even continue to consider Turner as a viable candidate for secretary of state if she publicly endorses a violation of not only Ohio laws, but also federal laws?
Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted, whose goal is to work toward “making it easier to vote, but harder to cheat,” is being demonized for his policies that are working to stop criminals such as Melowese. Here are some of the accomplishments of Husted:
• Since his first day in office, 270,000 deceased voters have been removed from the voter rolls.
• Husted established a partnership with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to find non-citizens on the voter rolls.
• Husted launched a program to help Ohio service members vote no matter where they are in the world.
• Ohio was one of only a handful of states to be named an “All-Star State” by the Military Voter Protection Project.
• Husted is also working with military groups to help veterans start their own businesses when they return.
In a New York Times editorial, Husted was lambasted for the passage of new voting laws that set new early-voting hours and voting days that will go into effect this election cycle. What the editorial failed to mention was that a bipartisan committee, not by one member of a certain political party, approved these new early-voting laws. We as Ohioans have an obligation to continue Husted’s mission and to fight for his reelection so he can continue to serve justice and preserve our voting rights that allow us to bask in the greatness of our democracy.
Aaron Dauterman is a sophomore studying communication.
