Local

Thank you to the Franklin County Board of Elections for running a fair election on November 4th for the next member of Columbus City Council who will represent the citizens of District 7.

After the primary with three candidates, Jesse Vogel won the majority of votes in District 7. On November 4th he also won the majority of votes in District 7. The tax-paying citizens of District 7 made their voices heard and Jesse Vogel is the person they want to represent them in city government. Right or wrong, District 7 believes in Jesse Vogel.

So what happens now?

Tiara Ross will triumphantly take her chair on City Council and applause will ring throughout city hall: a victory Dick Cheney would be proud of because every step was coordinated to win. Every member of City Council voluntarily donated thousands of dollars to her campaign and knocked on doors to get out loyal members of the Franklin County Democratic Party.

Get over it.

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Celebrating our 55th year, the Columbus Free Press will honor five outstanding community activists and a community organization at our November 2025 Salon and Awards event on Saturday, November 8 from 1:30-4:30pm at the First Unitarian Universalist Church, 93 W. Weisheimer Road. One honoree for the Free Press 2025 Outstanding Community Activist is Lezlie Combs. Facebook Event.

Lezlie started the local organization Central Ohio Rainforest Action Group in the late 80s, that provided free educational presentations at schools and other events, held numerous protests, letter writing parties and a benefit concert every year at Chelsea's during World Rainforest Week – among many other activities. The Rainforest Group helped co-found Community Shares of Mid-Ohio (COSMO)and Lezlie served as Vice President and President.

There’s no argument about one thing in looking at the results of the off-year elections: Republicans had a very bad day. We can all argue about what that means for the future, but there’s no way not to see this as anything other than an ass-whipping. Democratics won governor races in both New Jersey and Virginia, and they did so by beating the poll predictions by 6 and 10 precent. These were also victories of women candidates over men, which is an accomplishment in and of itself in these dark days. Zohran Mamdani won with a decisive majority over the former governor and longtime political lion of a New York State political dynasty. He is the youngest major there, as well as first Muslim, Southeast Asian, and former resident of Africa. He is also a socialist and will now be the socialist mayor of the largest US city since a socialist was mayor in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. That’s not all. California’s Governor Newsom won his controversial ballot referendum approving the redistricting that will give Democrats an opportunity to pick up five seats in the midterms to counter Trump’s efforts in Texas, North Carolina, and other states.

Every election season, thousands of people find themselved unregistered and therefore unable to vote. And, every election season, thousands of volunteers toil endless hours on a task that need not exist at all: registering voters.

80 percent fear rising electricity costs

A recent poll by Sunrun, the nation's largest residential solar installer, finds that 81 percent of those surveyed have experienced power outages within the past year and 80 percent of U.S. homeowners worry data centers will drive up their electricity bills.

The company surveyed 1,000 homeowners nationwide. The findings point to a public bracing for a strain on the existing utility system and actively considering energy alternatives.

The survey reports 68 percent of homeowners doubt utilities can keep up with rising energy demand in their region

While homeowners expect things to get worse, they report that outages are already widespread:

Enphase now supports fully off-grid system

By now you’ve seen the November 4 election results. Some good decisions, but some truly bad decisions as well. Of course, there’s Councilmember Remy who has been accused of not treating his legislative aides with the respect they deserve; but still got re-elected. Why? Because WE DIDN’T HAVE A CHOICE.

The inappropriate behavior by Remy is a SYMPTOM OF THE REAL PROBLEM.

Hardin will treat the symptom the only way he knows how by 1. IGNORING IT (tried and failed), 2. Calling his wife to beg for her help (tried and failed), and 3. Paying a CASH SETTLEMENT to the aides he mistreated using OUR TAX DOLLARS.

No punishment for Remy, but the voters get punished by forcing us to re-elect him. Hardin will solve the SYMPTOM instead of curing the PROBLEM. And what is the actual problem?

In reading the updated Oct 17 VOTER GUIDE from the Columbus Dispatch it’s important to notice the choice of words author Jordan Laird used to describe the UNDEMOCRATIC VOTING SYSTEM our city uses for City Council.

“Under Columbus' unusual district system, first rolled out in 2023, all nine city council members are elected citywide.”

“Unusual.” UNUSUAL is the word that Jordan Laird used. Why? Because it only favors the party in power and because candidates are forced to run a city-wide campaign. Remember the earlier primary of three candidates? Vogel won District 7 that time. The citizens that live in District 7 have already chosen him to be their next member of City Council; not Ross. It’s the MOST CREATIVE GERRYMANDERED SYSTEM INVENTED and it eliminates all competition from grassroots candidates (unless you have money). Franklin County Democrats LOVE IT since they normally don’t have to spent a single dime to get their “endorsed candidate” elected.

Tuesday, November 4, 6:30am-7:30pm

Search for your Ohio polling location here

Voter identification requirements

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Celebrating our 55th year, the Columbus Free Press will honor five outstanding community activists and a community organization at our November 2025 Salon and Awards event on Saturday, November 8 from 1:30-4:30pm at the First Unitarian Universalist Church, 93 W. Weisheimer Road. One honoree for the Free Press 2025 Outstanding Community Activist is Paul Becker. Facebook Event.

Paul Becker is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Dayton, where his research focuses on political extremism and violence, and activism in the 21st century.

Beginning with Occupy Columbus he has photographed over 550 protests, marches, rallies, and vigils. Most of these were in Central Ohio, but he has also documented activism in Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Detroit, and other cities.

From the American Friends Service Committee

Since Sept. 2, the U.S. has bombed multiple boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific, killing at least 60 people. The Trump administration claims this is part of a new “armed conflict” with “narco-traffickers” but has presented no evidence that these boats were involved in drug smuggling.    

These killings are illegal. Despite the administration’s claims, the Constitution gives Congress—not the executive branch—the sole power to authorize military action. Without congressional authorization, these attacks violate the law. 

As a Quaker organization committed to peace and justice, we oppose violence in all its forms. These strikes will only lead to more violence. They put U.S. citizens at risk of retribution, heighten the risk of a wider conflict, and do nothing to address the complex issue of drug addiction. 

Tell Congress: Stop these illegal attacks and reaffirm its war powers.