Democratic News

COLUMBUS –House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) today issued a statement ahead of the 57^th anniversary of the historic March on Washington, which was held August 28, 2020, to advocate for the civil and economic rights and freedoms of Black Americans. The anniversary comes amid months of protest and renewed activism to end racial injustice in the United States.

State Reps. Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo) and Catherine D. Ingram (D-Cincinnati) responded to the state Controlling Board refusing to hear Secretary LaRose’s late request for additional authority to pay return postage for absentee ballots in its meeting yesterday. LaRose said he will come back to the Board in mid-September, but absentee ballot applications are set to be mailed to 7.8 Million Ohio voters before that – around Labor Day – without return postage. The members have been urging LaRose for months to use existing authority of his office to pay return postage for both applications and ballots.

COLUMBUS – House Democrats announced Monday the state Controlling Board approved another round of federal funding to support Ohio’s efforts to control the COVID-19 outbreak as school districts prepare for fall semester.

COLUMBUS — Ohio House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) issued a statement today as House Republicans filed articles of impeachment against fellow Republican Gov. Mike DeWine.

State Reps. Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo) and Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Cleveland) responded to Secretary LaRose’s announcement that he is requesting additional permission from the state Controlling Board to pay return postage for voting materials. The deadline for submitting such requests was Monday, Aug. 17 for the Board’s Aug. 24 meeting. No request from LaRose’s office appears yet on the Controlling Board’s website. It is unclear whether the late request will be added to the meeting agenda or what specifically is being requested.  

COLUMBUS — Ohio House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron), State Representative Tavia Galonski (D-Akron) and State Representative Casey Weinstein (D-Hudson) today released a statement in response to President Donald Trump’s calling for a boycott of an American company, based in Akron, Ohio, that employs approximately 62,000 people.

The House Democratic Caucus today sent a letter to Secretary of State Frank LaRose addressing recent major developments in Ohio’s elections. Last week, the country watched in horror as Post Office mailboxes and processing machinery were dismantled and removed across the country and in Ohio.

COLUMBUS— State Rep. Tavia Galonski (D-Akron), chair of the Ohio House Democratic Women’s Caucus, today issued a statement commemorating 100 years of women’s suffrage.

COLUMBUS –House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) today issued a statement following the unveiling of the COVID-19 Ohio Minority Health Strike Force Blueprint, a formal report from the task force on minority health the governor convened in April.Leader Sykes, a member of the Strike Force, was not notified of the final report until this morning after several weeks of delays. Members of the Strike Force have been asking for weeks to see a final report.

Ohio Legislative Black Caucus President Rep. Stephanie Howse (D-Cleveland) today urged action on the Ohio Equal Pay Act, legislation alongside Rep. Randi Clites (D-Ravenna) that would recognize the full value and potential of Ohio’s working women. 

State Representative Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo) and Catherine D. Ingram (D-Cincinnati) today sent a letter to Secretary of State Frank LaRose raising concerns about the treatment of Black voters who are being disproportionately harmed by the coronavirus pandemic. The lawmakers requested the secretary’s voter outreach plan, noting that he has undertaken an Ohio craft brewery tour without specific legal authority or funding to do so. They also requested his budget for using the $23 million in federal funds granted to the state and approved by the Controlling Board for spending on the election.