Menu

Acting on OFBF policy, the organization's board of trustees has made its recommendations for the November ballot.

OFBF is supporting Issue 1, a $2 billion bond initiative to fund infrastructure and high-tech development. (See story on page 1) and Issue 2, which would allow more Ohioans to vote by absentee ballot. If Issue 2 passes, voters would no longer be required to state a reason for casting an absentee ballot.

Keith Stimpert, OFBF vice president of government affairs, said time constraints often make it difficult for voters to make it to the polls on Election Day.

"We want everybody to vote," he said. "In our time-compressed world, giving this option makes for sound public policy."

OFBF is not taking a position on Issue 3, which would reduce the campaign contribution limit for most political action committees (PAC), individuals and political parties from $10,000 to $2,500. The proposal creates a small donor PAC category that remains at the $10,000 threshold and would include OFBF.

"There's some sentiment that without current Farm Bureau policy on this issue, the (OFBF) board would simply encourage members to examine this issue and make up their own decision," Stimpert said.

OFBF is opposing Issues 4 and 5, both of which would remove power from elected officials and place it with appointed boards.

Proponents say Issue 4 will create more competitive legislative districts through an appointed five-member panel. The panel would be responsible for drawing Ohio's congressional and general assembly districts every 10 years. An elected panel including the governor, state auditor, secretary of state and one legislator from each party currently controls redistricting.

According to Strategic Policy Partners (SP2), a conservative public policy firm based in Columbus, members of the panel would not be required to meet any minimum qualifications, would serve for an indefinite period of time and would have unlimited power to spend Ohio tax dollars while never being accountable to Ohio voters.

Stimpert acknowledged that the redistricting process is political but said the system evens out in the long run as power shifts from one party to the other. He said the OFBF board felt it would be impossible to keep politics out of the redistricting process under any system.

"The initiative deserves some credit for truly trying to address a concern," he said.

Issue 5 would create a nine-member appointed board to oversee Ohio elections. SP2 noted the measure would end local control of elections by election boards and would give the appointed board a "blank check" to spend tax dollars. The secretary of state, an elected official, currently oversees elections.

"We have an aversion to removing that kind of power one step from citizens," Stimpert said.