Politics

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - It's deadline time for Ohioans who need to register to vote in the November election.

Forms may be downloaded from the Ohio Secretary of State's website and must be postmarked Tuesday, if being turned in by mail. Or, they may be submitted in person at a variety of sites, including the Ohio Secretary of State's office, local elections boards, public high schools or public libraries.

WEST CHESTER, Ohio (AP) - Ohio has been a swing state for decades, and recent polls indicate Republicans could take it back in 2012, after Barack Obama's 2008 win. But first Ohioans will have to rally around a common candidate.

CINCINNATI(AP) - Cincinnati protesters who are part of the Occupy Wall Street movement say they've been fined for refusing to leave a city park.

A statement from leaders of Occupy Cincinnati say in 22 demonstrators were issued citations and each fined more than a hundred dollars late Sunday when they chose to stay in downtown's Piatt (PY'-at) Park after police told them to leave.

As in other states, the Cincinnati protesters say most of the nation's wealth is controlled by just 1 percent of the population and that they represent the other 99 percent.

 The Ohio Senate's Republican leader says he's asking a group of state lawmakers to review legal questions related to a bill that would ban abortions at the first detectable fetal heartbeat.

President Tom Niehaus said Tuesday he wants the group to vet any legal issues and report back to him in November.

The measure called the "heartbeat bill" passed the Ohio House in June, but has stalled in the Senate.

Ohio Right to Life has taken issue with the bill, fearing a legal challenge could jeopardize other abortion limits in Ohio and expand access to legal abortions.