Even if I had miraculously managed to avoid the non-stop sleazery of political ads, I'd know it's voting season in Ohio when I found a double-sided valentine from Secretary of State Jon Husted in my mailbox.
Here's some highlights from the letter:
MY VOTE, MY RIGHT, MY RESPONSIBILITY
As an Ohio voter, when I exercise my RIGHT to vote on Election Day, I have a RESPONSIBILITY to do my part.
I WILL...
Register to vote 30 days prior to Election Day & keep my address up to date with the board of elections.
Remember to bring valid identification with me to the polls.
Know my proper polling place & precinct.
Love how Husted emphasizes that voting is a "right" and "responsibility" after trying everything in his power to make exercising that right and fulfilling that responsibility as
difficult as possible for us ordinary mortals.
Also, note that there's no mention of what constitutes "valid identification", even though there's a link to that information on his very own website (assuming the voter has computer access) and no helpful direction on how to determine your polling place and precinct, even though there's another link on his very own website (again, IF the voter has access to a computer) that will figure it out for you. Gee, I wonder why...
Another highlight:
Dear Ohio Voter:
In the Buckeye State, we make it EASY TO VOTE and HARD TO CHEAT.
Plus there's this, conspicuously placed in a bright red box with bold white lettering:
Whoever commits election falsification is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree.
Jon never ceases to amaze me.
Still banging the old "voter fraud" drum, even though the number of documented cases of actual voter fraud in previous elections is so miniscule as to be laughable. Conspicuous by its absence, of course, is any reference to rampant gerrymandering of districts or behind-the-scenes machinations by monied interests. (Apparently it ain't cheating if you're financially well-endowed, powerful, and have a vested interest in supporting the status quo...)
What's really sad is that a goodly number of people will open that same letter, nod in smug approval at the references to personal responsibility and prevention of voter fraud, and either have no clue what's really going on, or, because they think it only impacts other people to whom they can't relate, not even care.