Right and a responsbility

When we talk about majority rule in Ohio, it is important to remember we are talking about a majority of those who are eligible, registered and VOTE. According to a report by Innovation Ohio, there are approximately 2.7 million voters sitting out of Buckeye State elections. Using data from the U.S. Census, the Ohio Secretary of State's office and voter database Catalist, Innovation Ohio determined 2 million of those people are eligible but not registered. Another 700,000 are registered but have missed the last three federal elections. "They're in danger of being purged, right?" Innovation Ohio President and CEO Desiree Tims told the Ohio Capital Journal. Though Ohio's registered voter demographics are 86% white, 11% Black and 2% Latino, Tims told the Capital Journal approximately 1 in 5 inactive voters are Black. Younger Ohioans (under age 50) make up 64% of inactive voters, with a slight majority of that subset being female. Numbers are similar in terms of the percentage of white, Black and Latino voters in the unregistered population. But men are over-represented in the unregistered population, at 57. And, perhaps a surprise, 70% of the unregistered population is over age 50. What do we do about it? How do we make sure the decisions being made about who represents and leads us, and how we are governed are truly made by a representative number of Ohioans? "Policy wonks and experts and politicians, the people who are engaged, tend to watch the news, they read newspapers, they are online," Tims told the Capital Journal. "But a lot of the people that we miss are in different spaces. And so, what we have to do is reach out to them to meet them where they are in order to engage them in the process." If you are reading this, it is likely you are one of those who is engaged. Now it is time to reach out. Yes, the deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 7 election has passed — but more elections are on the horizon. More important now is reaching out to those who are registered, but may need a little encouragement to vote. Remind them why their voice is necessary and just how much is at stake. Remind them they can make a difference in ensuring the results of the upcoming election are representative of the will of all Ohioans. While you're at it, mark your calendar to be sure YOU vote. Fulfilling that responsibility to Ohio is a job for all of us. — Ogden Newspapers