In other early voting news, it appears that the effort to collect enough signatures to delay the implementation of HB194 has been succesful. HB194, among other things would have reduced the early voting period from about 5 weeks to 3. This naturally would have impacted the effort to repeal SB5 by voting NO on issue 2.

Ohio officials are preparing for early voting to begin on Tuesday for the Nov. 8 general election because a challenge to a new election-reform law is expected to put the law on hold today.

Even though House Bill 194 is scheduled to become effective on Friday, county boards of election have girded for the possibility that it will be delayed and the election will be conducted under current state law, which permits more time for absentee and in-person voting.
[...]
Once the signatures are turned over to the Ohio secretary of state, the new law automatically will be put on hold. The signatures then will be sent to the 88 county election boards to be validated, a process estimated to take 10 to 15 days. If Fair Elections Ohio comes up short after the county boards’ count, it would have 10 days to gather more signatures.
[...]
Among other things, the law cuts early voting from 35 days before the election to 21 days by mail and 17 in person. It also limits in-person voting before the election by barring it on Saturday afternoons, Sundays and the three days prior to the election. If House Bill 194 were to take effect on Friday, voting by mail would begin on Oct. 18; in-person voting on Oct. 22.

Why Vote Absentee?

By voting absentee you can

Avoid lines on election day, which may discourage others from voting
Avoid the cold and rain, or unexpected events that may make it harder
Avoid any voting machine mishaps
Let the We Are Ohio campaign concentrate on getting less enthused voters to the polls on election day

Once you have voted, it’s time to ask those in your friends, family and neighbors team to vote absentee! Locking in as many No on Issue 2 votes as early as possible is critical to success on election day!

You may request an Absentee Ballot by…
Using the application form prescribed by the Secretary of State (Form 11-A) to apply for your absentee ballot.

You may return your absentee ballot to the Board of Elections by…
U.S. Mail: the return envelope containing your marked ballot must be postmarked no later than the day before the election and received by the board of elections no later than 10 days after a special, primary or general election.

In person, either by you or an eligible family member: your marked ballot, which must be sealed in the completed and signed identification envelope provided with the ballot, must be delivered to the board of elections office no later than the close of polls on Election Day. 

Note: No voted ballot may be returned to a board of elections by fax or email. If a voted ballot is returned by fax or email, it will not be accepted, processed, or counted.

Your absentee ballot must be received by the Board of Elections for your county before 7:30 PM on Election Day to be counted!

Full instructions for absentee voting can be found on the Ohio Secretary of State's website, here. A list of all the county boards of elections, their addresses, phone numbers and emails can be found here.

We reported on yesterday's surprising news of the Governor finally conceding that SB5 went too far and should be toned down. Here's the news of that white flag being raised, as reported from around the state.

The Cincinatti Enquirer gets a quote from the author of SB5, State Sen. Shannon Jones

The Southwest Ohio legislator who authored Senate Bill 5, state Sen. Shannon Jones, R-Springboro, dismissed suggestions that the GOP leaders’ offer reflects concern that voters might pass Issue 2, the ballot measure aimed at repealing the reform of the state’s 1983 collective bargaining law.

“I don’t think that’s a fair analysis at all,” said Jones, who represents eastern Hamilton County and all of Warren County.

“This is just a reminder that an offer that was there from the start – to sit down and talk, to look for common ideas – is still open,” she told the Enquirer. “If they want to do that, fine. If not, we’ll have an election.”

The Toledo Blade reminds us that it's difficult to change SB5 if the Legislature isn't in session, and won't be until after the August 30th deadline

"These politicians who passed Senate Bill 5 have the ability to come back and repeal the law, and that's what they should do—repeal the entire law," We Are Ohio spokesman Melissa Fazekas said. "Or they can join us and vote ‘no' in November on Issue 2."

Lawmakers, however, are on summer recess and are not scheduled to return before the Aug. 30 deadline.

The Dispatch has this choice quote from the Governor

Kasich said avoiding a fight over state Issue 2 is in "best interest of everyone, including public employee unions." He asked the unions to "set aside political agendas and past offenses."

Some might call that projection.

The Marietta Times has a quote from a teacher, one we've heard expressed many times already too

"But a divisive fight on these issues that could possibly be avoided is in the best interest of everyone, including public employees and people who support public employees," Kasich said.

Marietta resident Sarah Beaver, a 59-year-old retired teacher, isn't buying it.

"Don't trust him farther than I can throw him," she said "He's just afraid (the repeal) is going to pass and this is his way to avoid it."

This is why reapling then dealing is the only way forward.

Finally, in the 3rd of a 3 part series, Plunderbund has what might be the real reason for yesterday's developments

We’ve heard all sorts of crazy rumors shaking out today. Mostly, that Building a Better Ohio’s fundraising has been shockingly poor. We can’t confirm because Building a Better Ohio, by legal design, has organized itself to avoid having to report as regularly and as transparently as We Are Ohio… this from the same campaign that asserts unions oppose public transparency in labor negotiations.

Double digits behind in the polls, no grass roots support, poor fundraising, a record massive 1.3 million signatures collected, and lots of evidence of voter anger over SB5, those are the kinds of conditions that make any politician want to have a do over.

Issue 2 Early Vote Rally

The White flag as seen from around Ohio