We are a little over three weeks to the general election, a midterm contest that will decide statewide executive officers as well as the balance of power in both Columbus and Washington, DC. Early voting began statewide this week. Ohio offers both in-person and by-mail early voting options.

Among the statewide races to be decided will be the makeup of the Ohio Supreme Court and the next Chief Justice. But a planned debate between Republican Sharon Kennedy and Democrat Jennifer Brunner has fallen through. The Ohio Debate Commission-which includes Ideastream-cancelled the contest when negotiations for the debate reached an impasse.

A resolution before the Ohio state school board that opposes proposed federal protections for LGBTQ students brought hours of testimony to this week's meeting. But once again the board did not vote. Instead, the state school board moved the resolution to an executive committee for further consideration. The next meeting of the executive committee is not expected until November.

Attorney General Yost has taken steps toward appealing a Cincinnati judge's order indefinitely blocking Ohio's so-called 'heartbeat law'. That law bans abortions at about six-weeks, or when fetal cardiac activity is detected. The law is the subject of a legal challenge in Hamilton County. Opponents claim the law violates the Ohio constitution. Ohio put its 'heartbeat law' into effect almost immediately following the United States Supreme Court's ruling in the Dobbs case in June that overturned Roe versus Wade.

Cuyahoga County council has tabled all discussion and decisions related to the proposed construction of a new jail until after voters decide on the next county executive.

Guests:
Andrew Meyer, Deputy Editor for News, Ideastream Public Media
Ken Schneck, Editor, The Buckeye Flame
Jo Ingles, Reporter, Statehouse News Bureau, Ohio Publi