The Morning Digest is compiled by David Nir, Jeff Singer, and Stephen Wolf, with additional contributions from the Daily Kos Elections team.
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Leading Off
● Ohio: A new initiative seeks to enact a sweeping expansion of access to the ballot box in Ohio, a state where Republicans have repeatedly restricted the right to vote during decades of nearly uninterrupted rule. But this proposal, along with a separate effort to ban gerrymandering, could usher in a new era of fair elections in one of the nation's largest states.
The new measure would amend Ohio's constitution to establish voting as a fundamental right, with far-reaching protections against voter suppression. It would also require many specific policies to make voting more accessible, such as making it easier for voters to register and cast their ballots before Election Day.
Time is of the essence, though, because supporters must first win approval from multiple layers of government—all controlled by Republicans—before they can begin gathering the signatures necessary to qualify for the November ballot. But there's reason for optimism after supporters of direct democracy scored major victories in Ohio last year, including passage of an amendment guaranteeing abortion rights.
Check out Stephen Wolf's story for a detailed look at the many protections this amendment would institute, plus what needs to happen for the measure to go before voters this year.
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