Early voting begins this week for a pair of citizen-led initiatives that are at the center of a special election on Feb. 26.
One ballot proposal seeks to keep the Lucas County jail in downtown Toledo. The other aims to protect Lake Erie by declaring it has legal rights to “exist and flourish.”
The registration deadline is Monday, and Tuesday is the first day voters can weigh in on the proposed Toledo City Charter amendments. Ballots will be cast at the Early Vote Center, 1301 Monroe St.
Both issues mark grass-roots efforts against entrenched interests, said Sean Nestor, a leader in the citizen group Keep the Jail Downtown Toledo.
Group leaders have said the jail should stay downtown to keep it near related services and area courts.
“What we're doing is giving every neighborhood an option to say, ‘It has got to be downtown,’” Mr. Nestor said.
He said the response he received while collecting signatures is that the public is on their side.
A proposed jail site along the 5700 block of North Detroit Avenue in North Toledo has met opposition. Voters rejected a levy in November to fund construction.
The county board of elections initially rejected the jail measure as unenforceable, but the Ohio Supreme Court later ruled that Toledo City Council failed to properly send the proposed amendment to the elections board. That ultimately set up the special election.
The election is expected to cost about $254,400, said LaVera Scott, director of the elections board.
Ballots will include a summary of the issues. Full petition language is on the board's website and will be posted in every polling location, Ms. Scott said.
This election is solely for city voters. Residents unsure of boundaries should call the elections office or check its website, Ms. Scott said.
Mr. Nestor said the special election could have been avoided had the board of elections approved the measures earlier. He said he expects a court case to follow should voters approve the jail proposal.
Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken said his position on the special election is, “Wait to see what the voters say.”
“Then we'll see what the courts say, most likely,” Mr. Gerken said of possible passage.
First Published January 28, 2019, 1:43 a.m.
