OH: Could Cuyahoga County swing the Aug. 8 election for State Issue 1? It all comes down to turnout. [View all]

[RandySF]

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The state’s top election official said over the weekend that he wouldn’t be surprised if voter turnout for the upcoming Aug. 8 election is near the historically low levels Ohio saw for its unusual August primary election last year.

But what if turnout in Cuyahoga County or other large counties is more like last year’s first primary election in May, a pretty typical election in which more than twice as many voters cast ballots?

Even modestly higher voter turnout could have a major, and even decisive impact on whether State Issue 1, which would make it harder to amend the state constitution, is approved.

In August 2022, 638,708 Ohioans voted to decide Republican and Democratic nominees for the Ohio House and Senate. That translated to 8% voter turnout, a historic low in the state’s modern era.

In contrast, the previous May, when voters decided U.S. Senate nominees and other races, 1.65 million Ohioans cast ballots, more than twice as many. Voter turnout for that election was 20.9%, fairly average for a primary election in a non-presidential year.




https://www.cleveland.com/news/2023/07/could-cuyahoga-county-swing-the-aug-8-election-for-state-issue-1-it-all-comes-down-to-turnout.html