Ohio once again “heart of it all” this election

Marcus Atkinson

Follow on twitter and Facebook

By all accounts Ohio has become pivotal to both Barack Obama and Mitt Romney on their path to the White House.  Every poll has the race in a virtual tie when factoring in margin of error. There has been a poll on early voters, absentee voters, different racial demographics, gender, and geographical, they are all relatively similar in result; the race is close, causing both campaigns to refocus both their time and money into the Midwest state.

Time Magazine commissioned a poll whish revealed if you examine those who have already voted with likely voters, Obama has a 5 point lead, 49-45.

Obama is leading 2-1 for those who have already voted, however the Time poll also looked at those who have not voted and still will, for those likely voters the candidates are tied at 45 percent.

That is why Ohio matters so much, that is why Cleveland sees  the most political advertisement (aside from Los Vegas) in the country, that is why political any list are constantly discussion Ohio’s demographic , that is why both candidates seem to live in Ohio and that is why Ohio will decide the 2012 election.

Over the past week the Obama/Biden ticket has crossed Ohio from Athens to Cleveland, from Marietta to Lorain, visiting every urban city including Toledo and Youngstown, rallying their supporters and loyal Democrats to not only vote, but make sure their friends and family vote Democrat too.

The Romney/Ryan ticket has been no different, going from southern Cincinnati to northern Cleveland (even visiting the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League), also stumping in Defiance and Canton, rallying their troops to do the same, vote Republican, and tell your friends.

Recently Obama picked up a much needed endorsement from General (and former Secretary of State under both the Clinton and Bush II administrations) Colin Powell. While (former National Security Advisor and Secretary of State under the Bush administration) Condoleezza Rice has been with vice presidential hopeful Paul Ryan along GOP tour of Ohio.

But are these voter rallies effective?

Truth is, many of those who were in Lorain visiting Biden or in Defiance visiting Romney already voted and though our voting system isn’t as friendly as other nations, having only one actual voting day (other nations having multiple voting days including weekends) the use of early voting has slimmed that challenge.  Those who would take the time to get a ticket, go through traffic, wait hours to see a presidential candidate, then go through traffic back home has shown a certain characteristic which also applies to those that will make sure they vote.

It is those who would like to go to a rally but for one reason or another do not, that the candidates need to be concerned about.  It is those potential voters who may not vote because traffic is bad, or the voting line is long, or the weather is not comfortable.  Though rallies provide great sound bites for the media and can be fun, I question their effectiveness.

Ohio, like most of the country has more registered Democrats than Republicans, yet the closed primary process of Ohio assists in creating a counterproductive and unpredictable presidential elections.  For example in 2008 Ohio had voters who casted their ballot for Massachusetts Senator, John Kerry in the Democratic primary (being a closed primary) but voted for George W. Bush in the general election.

No Republican has won the presidency without winning Ohio and the last Democrat to win the presidency without winning Ohio was John F. Kennedy.  Next month Ohio will once again be in history.