Politics

Emily McCord speaks to Jo Ingles for this week's edition of PoliticsOhio. Secretary of State Jon Husted issued directives this week, telling local boards of elections they are not allowed to send out absentee voter request forms. This comes ahead of a newly passed election reform law that is not effective yet. But some Ohioans want to put that law up for a referendum on the ballot. Ingles reports that they're unhappy with Husted's directives, saying it suppresses the rights of voters, while Husted counters that it's only fair to keep county election rules uniform.

CINCINNATI (AP) - The staff for a Republican congressman who was criticized after police seized two video cameras at an Ohio constituent meeting says future gatherings will be open to recording.

A Cincinnati police officer confiscated cameras from two Democratic activists at a Monday town hall by Rep. Steve Chabot. Video of the encounter was posted on YouTube, and Democrats complained of censorship.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - An Ohio competition challenging the public to create a new map of the state's legislative districts has been won - by an Illinois lawmaker.

Republican Illinois state Rep. Mike Fortner says he entered because redistricting is a hobby of his and Ohio's competition was the best he'd seen.

Illinois recently completed new maps, which are being challenged in court by groups charging that districts were illegally gerrymandered to benefit majority Democrats.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The AFL-CIO hopes to boost its clout by launching a new political action committee that could raise unlimited amounts of money.

The move to form a labor super PAC is part of the federation's goal to build a year-round political organizing structure instead of ramping up and down based on election cycles.

It would also help steer more of labor's money to state legislative battles, where unions have been battling efforts to curb union rights in states like Wisconsin and Ohio.