RELATED: Cutting through the hype: What Issue 1 would mean in Ohio
“We say vote yes on Issue 6. It’s the right thing to do for our children,” said Derrick L. Foward, president of the NAACP Dayton unit.
Tom Roberts, president of the NAACP Ohio Conference, said Issue 1 was endorsed because some drug offenses would be better handled by drug treatment instead of incarceration.
“We need to change this culture of criminalization. Issue 1 will do that,” Roberts said.
Some voters had already decided on their votes and were casting them early. By midday Saturday, the Montgomery County Board of Elections had 1,348 voters for the day and was on track to triple the total of mid-term absentee turnout figures compared to the 2014 mid-term elections, said Jan Kelly, director of the board.
“It almost feels like a presidential election,” Kelly said as workers hustled to process voters.
Kristen Herder, 44, of Oakwood, said she was voting because she feels it is an important civic duty.
“(My husband and I) are retired Air Force and we worked many years to ensure everyone had the right to get out to do this,” Herder said.
Ethel Copenhaver, 82, of Dayton said she had a hard time getting registered when she moved to Ohio from Washington three years ago due to the documentation that state law requires, so she wasn’t able to vote until this year. She said she is concerned about the current political “chaos” in the U.S.
“I’m hoping my vote will make a difference,” Copenhaver said.
RELATED: The Latest: Trump denies he’s focusing too much on problems
Republican activists gathered in Kettering on Saturday morning to ring doorbells and hand out signs and literature for their candidates. They got a pep talk from U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, and Secretary of State Jon Husted, the Republican candidate for lieutenant governor with gubernatorial candidate Mike DeWine, Ohio’s current Attorney General.
RELATED: Bringing more jobs to the region: Here’s how the Ohio governor candidates plan to do it
The other candidates for governor are Democrat Richard Cordray, former head of the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Constance Gadell-Newton of the Green Party and Libertarian Travis Irvine.
Turner faces Beavercreek businesswoman Theresa Gasper, a Democrat, and Libertarian David Harlow.
RELATED: Watch: Turner, Gasper, Harlow debate issues in congressional race on WHIO-TV
“The team that wants it most will win,” Husted said.
He said Ohio Governor John Kasich has already campaigned for DeWine-Husted and President Donald Trump will stump for them in Cleveland on Monday.
Husted got a laugh from the room when he quipped, "The Dewine-Husted campaign may be the only thing John Kasich and Donald Trump agree on."
‘Throw the bums out’ mantra didn’t apply to this year’s primary election
How do we get the economy to boom for all?
Here’s what the governor candidates say about raising the minimum wage
‘Don’t force me to release the rest of the text messages,’ local candidate tells lawmaker
Groups like the KKK preach white power but shun ‘hate’ label
GET READY FOR ELECTION DAY
Election Day is Tuesday
Early voting hours: You can vote today at your county board of elections office from 1-5 p.m. On Monday, early voting is only from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Voters guide online: Compare the other candidates on your ballot using our interactive voters guide on our website
Newsletter: Sign up for our daily Ohio Politics newsletter for the latest on Election 2018 and the news of the day
Twitter: Stay up to date with the latest from the campaign trail on @Ohio_Politics
Facebook: Speak out on the issues and candidates on our Ohio Politics Facebook page
Other stories by Lynn Hulsey
‘Throw the bums out’ mantra didn’t apply to this year’s primary election
How do we get the economy to boom for all?
Here’s what the governor candidates say about raising the minimum wage
‘Don’t force me to release the rest of the text messages,’ local candidate tells lawmaker
Groups like the KKK preach white power but shun ‘hate’ label
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