November 6, 2019

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2019

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RESULTS OF THE MAYORAL RACE ... P4 KENT BUTLER IS RETIRING... P9 LGBT COMMUNITY FACES BARRIERS TO VOTE... P20

2019 ELECTION THE

EDITION

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Teamwork brings local election results

ELLEN WAGNER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

very year on election night, The Post moves our publishing deadline to a day earlier. We want to ensure our audience will wake up the next day with all election results.

After classes and fueling ourselves with pizza, we take to the streets of Athens to cover the elections from the evening until the early hours of the morning to ensure our tabloid is ready for print by the deadline.

Much of the work for election night is done weeks in advance. Our staff pitches stories and plans out the design of the tabloid to see where everything needs to be for election night.

Writers also make shells of stories with basic background information on the passing of levies and what candidates are elected. That way, the results and reactions can be added to it. It’s a lot easier to adjust a story that’s been half-written rather than writing a story from scratch, especially with our quick turnaround deadline.

We will have reporters at various locations, such as the Board of Elections, waiting for the results but also being engaged in the community. Reporters are talking to voters about the issues that will affect their city. Photographers are capturing events for the day and reactions from the city.

National news outlets, like The New York Times, have their live results reported by The Associated Press. It includes sending correspondents to local government offices and having reporters gather vote tallies from state, county and other local officials.

Meanwhile, we have to wait for paper ballots to be counted and results to be given to us before we can report it. At The Post, we push up our deadline a day to make the results more accessible to our audience.

Once we have all our stories ready to be printed, our designers work to create the pages, a task that is usually not done in one night.

As this is my last time covering elections for The Post, I am excited about the energy

election night brings each year.

From our oldest to our youngest staffers, everyone brings their own elements of excitement and experience. For seniors, it’s passing on the torch to those who will remain after we graduate. For freshmen, it’s taking the time to learn from older peers and bring in a new level of excitement to election night.

From the reporters and photographers on the street to designers in the newsroom, it takes a whole staff to get it done.

On a normal week of designing the tabloid, we have about 10 people working late together to put the final touches on everything. Election night shows the teamwork of the entire staff in one night as opposed to an entire week.

Ellen Wagner is a senior studying journalism at Ohio University and the editor-in-chief of The Post. Have questions? Email Ellen at ew047615@ohio.edu or tweet her @ewagner19.

Cover photo by Nate Swanson

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ELLEN WAGNER MANAGING EDITOR Laila Riaz DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR Taylor Johnston EDITORIAL NEWS EDITORS Abby Miller, Nolan Simmons LONG-FORM EDITOR Bennett Leckrone SPORTS EDITORS Matt Parker, Anthony Poisal CULTURE EDITOR Baylee DeMuth OPINION EDITOR Shelby Campbell THE BEAT EDITOR Molly Schramm COPY CHIEF Bre Offenberger ART ART DIRECTORS Rilee Lockhart, Riley Scott DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Kelsey Boeing DIGITAL WEB DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Midge Mazur SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Sarah Penix DIRECTOR OF MULTIMEDIA Nicholas Langer STUDENT MEDIA SALES INTERNSHIP MANAGER Andrea Lewis

2 / NOV. 6, 2019

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Student political groups prepare for upcoming elections OUCDs and OUCRs are preparing for the current 2019 local elections and 2020 elections KIRSTEN THOMAS FOR THE POST he Ohio University College Democrats and Ohio University College Republicans, or OUCDs and OUCRs, respectively, have spent time preparing for the upcoming election through a variety of strategies.

Preparation begins almost immediately after previous elections or when students return back to campus in the fall.

Currently, both organizations are preparing for the 2019 local elections and the 2020 elections.

“When one election ends, regardless of the outcome, we start planning for the next one pretty much right after,” Meah McCallister, president of OUCDs, said in an email.

“If we get a good outcome, we use that feeling to motivate us for more change and good that we can enact. If we don’t get the outcome we want, it makes us work even harder to keep fighting for change.”

OUCRs began preparing for local elections this fall in a number of ways, including door knocking.

“This fall we did some work for some local elections like door knocking for a can-

didate running to be the Mayor of Belpre as well as city councilmen in Hilliard. Some members have been making calls and volunteering with the Ohio Republican Party to help with other local races,” Kailey Gentner, president of OUCRs, said in an email. “We’ve also been volunteering with the Kentucky Republican Party, making phone calls for their upcoming general election.”

OUCRs has also been focusing on recruitment through tabling. The hope is that OUCRs can grow its numbers and be ready for the 2020 election year.

OUCRs’ preparation for the 2020 election has included continuing to walk in parades for elected officials, including Congressman Bill Johnson, Congressman Steve Stivers and State Representative Jay Edwards.

Additionally, OUCRs was involved in training that helped with its election preparation.

“Our organization also has done Trump Victory Training where we got voter registration and social media training,” Gentner said in an email. “We used this training and registered voters on campus during national voter registration day.”

For OUCDs, when it comes to something on such a large scale as the 2020

election, a lot of work is through the state party. But the group is already preparing via voter registration and trying to educate as many people as possible on issues the group cares about.

“The more people are educated, the more they are adequately prepared to take action against injustices,” McCallister said in an email.

Through its work, OUCDs strives to provide members with information and opportunities to be able to engage in politics.

“For this year’s local election, we have invited all of the candidates to speak at our general body meetings. This way every voice is heard and they are able to speak to our members about their policy platforms while giving our members a direct line for any questions or inquiries on how to volunteer,” McCallister said in an email. “We have also pushed voter registration as we do every year trying to make sure as many people as possible can be engaged in politics and make their voices heard.”

In addition, OUCDs does not endorse candidates.

“We give our members opportunities to volunteer as individuals when they are presented to us, but as an organization,

we do not actively campaign for anyone not endorsed by the party. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions,” McCalister said in an email.

Despite preparing differently last year due to different leadership and elections, the differences in preparation are not very drastic for OUCDs. For OUCRs, each election includes making lots of phone calls, door knocking, walking in parades and volunteering with various campaigns that reach out to OUCRs. In the fall, OUCRs also has a call center.

Last year, the center made over 300,000 calls, Gentner said.

“I believe the OUCRS works hard year round for elections and elected officials, which is why we have a good reputation in the state of Ohio for being a very active College Republican chapter,” Gentner said in an email.

The Athens Revolutionary Socialists were contacted in regards to any efforts it has made toward the upcoming election but did not respond to a request for comment.

@KIRSTENTHOMAS36 KT531818@OHIO.EDU

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 3

Mayor Steve Patterson wins reelection by a large margin Incumbent Democratic Mayor survives a challenge from the left in election with over 75% of the vote GEORGE SHILLCOCK FOR THE POST Steve Patterson won a second term as the mayor of Athens after defeating independent challenger Damon Krane.

Patterson outlasted Krane’s challenge from the left in a decisive victory after securing 75.62%, or 2,075 votes, while Krane got 20.81%, or 571 votes.

This victory gives the incumbent Democrat an additional four years as mayor.

Patterson’s history in Athens not only includes four years as mayor, but also multiple years on City Council and time as a psychology professor at Ohio University.

Patterson tackled multiple issues including installing the new community swimming pool, renovating the water treatment plant and working to make the city more reliant on green energ y.

“I was kinda overwhelmed to some degree because of the 75%, which was just fantastic,” Patterson said.

Patterson said he thinks his work in his first four years as mayor and his effor ts to engage with the citizens of Athens lets the citizens recognize him as an effective and approachable mayor.

Patterson is also a veteran of the U.S. Air Force after he retired as a major in 2003. In his new term, he wants to continue the work that the city government is currently working on diversifying the local economy and developing affordable housing.

The mayor will be aided in his efforts by a City Council that is now made up of all Democrats with the reelection of incumbents, like Peter Kotses and Sarah Grace, and the election of Beth Clodfelter and Arian Smedley.

Patterson said he was surprised that independent incumbent Patrick McGee didn’t make it back on City Council but that it shows that candidates like Clodfelter put a lot of work into their campaign.

Krane, who is a local business owner and political activist, chose to run for mayor after being involved as an activist in the city and region for years.

Even though he lost the election, Krane said he wants to continue his activism and push the city government

4 / NOV. 6, 2019

to address the issues that were central to his campaign: rental housing and poverty. “(The results) are disappointing but

not entirely surprising,” Krane said “We were really trying to do something very new here for an Athens election, and we’re really starting from scratch.”

Mayor Steve Patterson hugs his children after being reelected in the Athens General Election held on Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2019. (LAURA BILSON / FOR THE POST)

Krane said his hope is that their efforts “planted seeds” for elections in the next couple years to grow their efforts and make an impact in the future.

His campaign focused on a key policy proposal he co-authored with Athens City Council candidate Ellie Hamrick, called “Operation Slumlord Smackdown.”

This plan sought to act upon the issues of stricter enforcement of city code, providing rent control and increasing code office staffing the centerpiece to their campaigns to combat what they view as dishonest practices of Athens landlords.

During the debates held prior to the election, Patterson often tried to address environmental, economic and infrastructure topics. Krane also addressed the same issues but always found a way to connect them back to how the majority of Athens residents who are renters are not being heard and that his plan to fight landlords and strengthen city code should be a priority for the city.

During the campaign, Patterson brought in about $7,963 in campaign donations but only spent about $4,228, according to the Pre-General Report from the Athens County Board of Elections. His donations came from within Athens County and included local landlords and fellow Democratic politicians.

Krane, on the other hand, ran a mostly self-funded campaign, which brought in about $7,867, $6,345 of which came from his own wallet. His other donations came from activists both within Athens and from around the country. Krane spent about $6,622 of that money.

“Patterson was so clearly the candidate of landlords, and in a city where 80 percent of the population are renters, my assumption is a very small portion of the renters turned out to vote,” Krane said.

Krane said he would consider running for mayor or City Council in the future but will focus on grassroots organizing in the near future.

@SHILLCOCKGEORGE GS261815@OHIO.EDU

Newly Democratic council At-Large race results in entirely Democratic City Council

BENNETT LECKRONE LONG-FORM EDITOR Athens City Council will be entirely Democratic after incumbent Patrick McGee, I-At Large, lost his seat in Tuesday night’s election.

McGee was ousted by Democrat Beth Clodfelter, who received 1,940 votes, or 23.57% of the total vote, compared with McGee’s 1,113, or 13.52%.

Incumbents Sarah Grace and Peter Kotses retained their seats with 1,458 and 1,456 votes, respectively.

“The very first thing I would like to do is to get better lighting in the dark parts of town to make our population safer,” Clodfelter said shortly after the results were finalized.

McGee will end his tenure on City Council this year as his second term ends. He has long been an oppositional voice on the otherwise Democratic Council.

“I’m supposed to take care of your money, watch your money and make sure it’s not spent foolishly and wasted,” McGee said at an October forum. “I’ve tried to do that, and I’ve pointed it out to City Council on numerous occasions.”

Ellie Hamrick, a socialist candidate, received 593 votes, or 7.2%. Chris Monday, an independent, received 576 votes, or 7%.

Hamrick, along with mayoral candidate Damon

Krane, charged that Athens City Council wasn’t doing enough to curb bad landlords in Athens. The two centered their campaigns around “Operation Slumlord Smackdown,” an effort to control rent and strengthen city code enforcement.

“Residents should not have to be paying an arm and a leg for terrible housing conditions. Safe and livable housing is a human right,” Hamrick said in a previous Post report.

Dylan Vanover, a socialist who supported Hamrick, said he hoped she would bring a renter’s voice if elected to City Council. He argued that city officials who largely do not rent their homes don’t represent the majority of Athens residents who do.

“We have a de facto un-democratic system of government here in the city,” Vanover said.

Monday said he planned to continue to fight the status quo in Athens despite not having a seat on City Council.

“The two parties that have dominated this country for many, many years have really done nothing but promote the interests of big money … If you take away the social issues that are the thin, easily seen through facade, then you see two parties that are just fighting for different big money interests,” Monday said. I was trying to be a little part of a big machine to help stop that in a government position, but now, I am forced to

“

The two parties that have dominated this country for many, many years have really done nothing but promote the interests of big money ... If you take away the social issues that are the tin, easily seen through facade, then you see the two parties that are just fighting for different big money interests.”

- Chris Monday, an independent candidate

be a little part of that machine in a non-government position.”

Clodfelter said she understood worries about groupthink on City Council but added that Democrats can still have diverse opinions.

“I’ve been attending City Council meetings regularly since January, and I’ve met individually with all the City Council members, and we are so different,” she said. “We have different priorities.”

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OU investigates engineering fraternity; Alden Library faces budget cuts OHIO UNIVERSITY BEGINS INVESTIGATION INTO ENGINEERING FRATERNITY Ohio University placed a professional engineering fraternity under a conduct review Friday after other student organizations were suspended earlier this year.

The engineering fraternity, Theta Tau, will be investigated by the university during the review.

Theta Tau’s purpose is to “develop and maintain a high standard of professional interest among its members and to unite them in a strong bond of fraternal fellowship,” according to a university description.

Two other student organizations have already been suspended this year. Those organizations are Alpha Kappa Psi and Phi Chi Theta, which are both business fraternities.

The Ohio Snowcats are also under suspension until May 4.

The men’s club rugby team, Pi Kappa Phi fraternity, ACACIA fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity, Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, Phi Kappa Psi fraternity, Sigma Chi fraternity and Alpha Kappa Psi fraternity are also under investigation, according to a previous Post report.

over the course of three years.

The reductions are part of a process that will continue until 2020, Chad Mitchell, chief of staff for the vice president of finance and administration office, said in a previous Post report.

OU strives to make cuts that have the least detrimental impact on services and collections available to faculty and students, Kelly Broughton, assistant dean for research and education services, said in an email in a previous Post report. The cut is 7%, or about $806,000, from the library’s operational budget. Other reductions might be made in the future in order to account for inflation.

The cut led to reductions in the types of collections the library purchases. Those collections include online journal subscriptions, databases and books in print and online.

Alden is directly funded by the university, donations and endowment distributions. The library’s operating budget is covered by the university, and special purchases and supplement services are paid for by cash gifts and endowments, Broughton said.

Broughton said the cuts do not directly impact how the library operates, though it does make operation more difficult. Among this situation, the library does receive a lot of student support, Broughton said.

nance that would officiate the city’s role in financing the Baileys Trail project.

Four City Council members voted in favor of tabling the ordinance, and Councilman Kent Butler, D-1st Ward, and Councilman Sam Crowl, D-3rd Ward, were the only two councilmembers to oppose the tabling. Councilman Peter Kotses, D-At Large, abstained from voting because of his recusal on all official discussion of the issue at Council.

Those who voted to table the ordinance cited the uncertainty and complication of the language in the agreement between Athens and Quantified Ventures.

Mayor Steve Patterson said he respected Council’s caution with the ordinance but also noted that a third party will be reviewing the details of the agreement and that the ordinance has been considered for a while.

Councilman Jeff Risner, D-2nd Ward, said he would like more information on the financial burden the deal will have for the city. Councilman Pat McGee, I-At Large, agreed, saying he believes Council does not have all the information it needs. He said once all that information is acquired, a more full picture will benefit everyone in Athens.

ALDEN LIBRARY FACES BUDGET CUTS OU has cut Alden Library’s budget by about $800,000

VOTE ON BAILEYS TRAIL DELAYED Athens City Council voted Monday to table an ordi-

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ABBY MILLER NEWS EDITOR

BLOTTER

Man thinks tennis court is The Convo; drunk man ends up at laboratory IAN MCKENZIE ASST. NEWS EDITOR The Ohio University Police Department responded to a report about a man stumbling Saturday at about 1:30 a.m. near the golf and tennis center.

The student told officers that he missed the bus home.

When asked where he was, the student pointed at the golf and tennis center and said, “I’m at The Convo.”

He was arrested for underage consumption by intoxication.

SCIENCE TEST OUPD was contacted Sunday at about 1:30 a.m. for a report about an intoxicated man in the road near the Edwards Accelerator Lab. The man had bloodshot eyes and slurred speech. He also smelled like alcohol, according to a police report.

He was taken to the hospital and issued a citation for disorderly conduct by intoxication.

6 / NOV. 6, 2019

PAUL BUNYON The Athens County Sheriff’s Office received a report Sunday of trespassers cutting timber from a Gun Club Road property.

Deputies responded to meet with the property owner, who was in the woods. The deputies were unable to find him, and the caller said he would call back if the illegal loggers returned.

Deputies responded to a separate report of theft of timber from his property, but there was no evidence to support the claim.

JUST MOVING Deputies responded to a possible breaking and entering in progress Wednesday morning on Lexington Avenue.

The caller reported that a woman had been moving out of the house, but they found it weird that a vehicle was there. The tenant explained that she was just removing more of her items.

DUDE, WHERE’S MY TRAILER? Deputies spoke with a person about his missing trailer, which he let a friend borrow over a year ago.

The trailer was never reported stolen, and the owner never asked for his friend to return it.

Deputies told the man to ask for the trailer back first.

DON’T BREAK THE LAW WHILE YOU’RE BREAKING THE LAW A woman turned herself into the sheriff’s office Monday for active warrants for her arrest.

Deputies found a small bag of methamphetamine when they searched her. It was collected for testing.

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Independent Candidates’ Effects Krane, Hamrick and Monday lost their elections but still plan to continue their activism to influence city government GEORGE SHILLCOCK FOR THE POST amon Krane, Ellie Hamrick and Chris Monday all agree that their candidacies have had a significant influence on the decisions their incumbent opponents made since they started running for office.

Certain issues, especially rental housing and dishonest landlord practices, have shaped the race for Athens mayor and the Athens City Council at-large seats. Those conversations have largely been driven by the three challengers running.

City Democrats spent much of their campaigns speaking on infrastructure and environmental issues within the city and only ever addressed rental housing issues when the three independents brought it up at debates, Council meetings or when the incumbents were directly pressed by voters.

Krane and Hamrick said the lack of independents in city government causes city government to be less democratic and less

receptive to ideas outside of the liberal mainstream. That begs the question: Would rental housing have been a focal point of the city of Athens’ local elections without the candidacies and activism of those three independents?

All three candidates said it depends on whether they are able to organize a voice among the citizens of Athens and bring consistent conversation on the issues with or without holding elected office. Since their campaigns began, City Council has responded and passed legislation related to rental housing, but continued progress might depend on if the candidates’ activism continues and grows after the election.

In September, an ordinance, which increased penalties on absentee landlords who allow their properties to fall into disrepair and contribute to urban blight., was passed by City Council. Hamrick, Monday and Krane believe that this ordinance, while a step in the right direction, is not enough and would not have even happened without their candidacies and activism.

“They would do nothing at all if Damon

OPEN TENNIS TOURNAMENT

(Krane) and I weren’t running, and we have forced them to do something,” Hamrick said. “I count that as a victory.”

Their candidacies are what kickstarted the conversation around seeking stricter enforcement of city code, providing rent control and increasing code office staffing.

This was largely done through “Operation Slumlord Smackdown,” which was co-authored by Hamrick and Krane and supported by Monday.

“I am happy to see that (City Council) is acknowledging it. Even if it is lip service, it is evidence they are listening and have a responsibility to react to people,” Monday said.

Hamrick identifies as a Socialist and is a member of the Athens Revolutionary Socialists, or ARS. Krane is a member of the Southeast Ohio Democratic Socialists of America, and Monday is a regular attendee of Athens City Council meetings and chooses to run as an independent without a label.

Krane said his activism will definitely continue even though he was not elected, but having the decision-making power and influence of the mayor’s office would help

give his platform a larger voice and more influence.

“My approach to activism has always been just trying to make the most of every opportunity for positive change, and I think that community organizing created different opportunities than running for office does,” Krane said.

Hamrick also said her activism through ARS will continue, but a City Council seat is not enough to make changes. She said it depends fully on whether tenants and workers in Athens can organize into unions and fight for changes.

There was a previous attempt to organize a tenants union in Athens, but it was not able to gain traction and make a significant impact, Hamrick said. Hamrick wants to start again and organize a new one from the ground up with ARS. “I’m interested in building a tenants union before we declare a tenants union and going slowly, carefully and step by step,” Hamrick said.

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Butler prepares for retirement Kent Butler to retire after over a decade of service on Athens City Council VINNY RAMUNDO FOR THE POST

Kent Butler poses for a portrait on Monday, Nov. 4, 2019. (LAURA BILSON / FOR THE POST)

ongtime Athens resident, Ohio University alumnus and public servant Kent Butler is set to retire from City Council at the end of his current term.

Butler, D-1st Ward, has served the needs of Athens’ west side since he was elected in 2008. It was those residents in his ward — his neighbors — who persuaded him to run for office.

“I appreciate that it wasn’t my idea, and there was a movement from the community,” Butler said. “I did not run on a platform.

I ran on the idea of serving the community.”

The nearly 12-year public servant takes pride in his efforts to be fair and equitable, sincerely listen to his constituents’ concerns and keep an open mind.

An example of Butler’s community-conscious work on City Council is when he supported the engineering changes and legislation in favor of the Richland Avenue roundabout. This, he said, saved the citizens of Athens over $1 million and preserved the old bridge’s infrastructure. The current concrete decking was also installed to make the bridge pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly.

Butler has devoted over a decade of his life in the formal service of his neighbors, and he has enjoyed making connections with the community over that time.

“I’m departing with mixed emotions because I really enjoy serving the community, and I really value the relationships that take time to build ... within a community, within a city,” Butler said.

Butler, who has a bachelor’s of fine arts in art and photography, believes it is an art form to disagree in a civil and respectful manner, specifically with the executive branch. He said it requires patience and candid conversations, which help to build relationships and earn vital trust.

While Butler will miss the opportunity to continue the dialogue from his seat on City Council, he feels a sense of responsibility in stepping down.

“I think those of us who are elected officials have a responsibility to also vacate the seat,” Butler said.

Butler attended OU as an undergraduate and played ultimate frisbee, which is where he met his wife, Lori Marie. Years after graduation, he went back to school in 2000 to earn a master’s of education in counseling.

He applied that knowledge through working at the Bassett House, a residential treatment center specializing in addiction treatment for adolescents. He also taught as an adjunct professor-instructor of addictions studies at Hocking College. Butler has also served as the officiator in multiple friends’ weddings.

He said those experiences are humbling and amazing to be a part of.

“It can be overwhelming and exhilarating, too, with the excitement and nervousness associated with an event of prominence and meaningfulness,” he said.

When Butler passes the baton to his 1st-Ward successor, he will be able to devote even more time to his full-time job, which he currently balances with his City

Council duties.

Butler serves as the executive director of the Hocking Valley Community Residential Center, or HVCRC, in Nelsonville. HVCRC is a state-funded community corrections facility for adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 who have committed a felony. The center provides access to social services for the youth, including dental, vision and other basic medical needs.

The average length of stay at the center is six months. Butler said his coworkers at the center are not in it for the money and face many challenges in their quest to help empower and heal others.

“We work with youth in a therapeutic setting, offering counseling, social services and rehabilitation,” Butler said. “The youth are able to earn school credits as well to help empower them as they reimagine or consider a different future for themselves …

We have witnessed and provided youth the opportunity to do activities for the first time of their lives.”

Those activities have included kayaking, mountain biking, high diving at the aquatic center and attending games at The Convo, among others.

“When I see the teenagers I work with helping one another in a supportive way, it can be awe-inspiring,” Butler said.

Along with the young people that he engages with, Butler said he has many other resilient role models in his life from whom he draws inspiration.

Both his parents are cancer survivors,

and his sister works with rescue animals and foster dogs.

“We can find grace and courage in the small and mundane as well as more obvious examples,” Butler said.

He describes many of his colleagues over his dozen years on City Council as “bright and capable.” The pay, he said, is not commensurate with the time and energy invested by his associates.

“I have seen many examples on Council of community members and colleagues that have immersed themselves into a topic or issue worthwhile needing to be addressed, whether it be a social need and social justice or safety and wellness or fiduciary mindfulness of the public dollar,” Butler said.

Upon retirement, Butler plans to remain in Athens and continue community-based work. He said some of the time freed up from City Council will permit him to participate in other activities that are important to him.

Specifically, he is hopeful to spend more time in the studio creating art, and he is looking forward to being able to focus more on the work he does with HVCRC. “I’m also expecting myself to jump into exercise and healthy eating,” Butler said.

“You know, continue that as I duke it out with Father Time.”

@VINNYRAMUNDO VR208818@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 9

The Post’s breakdown of mayoral candidates’ campaign finances Both candidates raised about the same amount of money, but Krane spent the majority of his funds while Patterson spent only half GEORGE SHILLCOCK FOR THE POST Both mayoral candidates raised over $7,800 for their general election campaigns, but the similarities in their financial reports stop there.

Damon Krane, the independent candidate who ran for mayor, raised about $7,867 while Democratic Mayor Steve Patterson raised about $7,963, according to the Athens Board of Elections Pre-General Report.

Patterson won the mayoral race by over 1,500 votes, according to unofficial results.

The differences between their financials end there with differences in how much they spent, where their money came from and how many donors they received.

Krane spent about $6,622 of his total raised and had 33 unique donors in the city of Athens, in Ohio and around the U.S., including New York, Maryland and Colorado.

About $6,345 of his total raised came from his own pocket, but only 10 of the 33 donors came from inside Athens County.

Most of the money he spent was used for social media ads, a texting service he used to campaign as well as lawn signs, brochures and a sign used on his food truck.

Patterson spent about $4,228 of his campaign donations that he got from 47 unique donors located only in Ohio with three coming from outside Athens County.

Patterson also spent his money on campaign materials like yard signs, social media advertisements and flyers.

Patterson said he also received a $1,000 10 / NOV. 6, 2019

donation from Sen. Sherrod Brown’s endorsement through the Canary Candidates political action committee, or PAC. This donation does not appear on the Pre-General Report for the Athens County Board of Election but will appear on the Post-General election report.

“I’m really pleased and excited that the Canary Candidates PAC was the largest donation that I have ever received,” Patterson said.

Krane said he chose to self-fund the

majority of his campaign because he had no other choice. He ended up spending about 20% of his total annual income on his campaign.

“The people that I’m trying to represent are low-income workers and students.

They don’t have a lot of money to donate,” Krane said. “If you’re going to go up against somebody like that, there is almost no way to compete unless you’re willing to just fork over a lot of your own money.”

Krane said this put him at a heavy

disadvantage because Patterson did not use any of his own money on his campaign and instead relied on donations from prominent landlords in town.

Patterson received donations from landlords, but a large majority of his donations were from other residents and business owners in Athens.

Patterson said he was really fortunate to have a lot of people donate to his campaign, including a number of residents of the city, businesses in the county and labor unions throughout Ohio.

He said the landlords who donated to him do it because they appreciate the job he does as mayor to beautify Athens and his work in creating a special improvement district in Uptown Athens.

“Damon Krane has no understanding as to why any business person would donate to my campaign because he is uninformed and has no idea,” Patterson said.

Krane said he ended up spending more money than Patterson because he had to work harder to get his name out since he is a fi rst time candidate and not the incumbent mayor.

Patterson said he didn’t end up needing all of the money that was donated to him, but more expenses will show up in the Post-General report.

@SHILLCOCKGEORGE GS261815@OHIO.EDU GRAPHIC BY RILEE LOCKHART

EMMA SKIDMORE FOR THE POST fter winning the Athens City Council 1st Ward primary, Arian Smedley is a shoe-in to become councilwoman, as she is running unopposed.

Smedley said as a representative of the west side, she will be doing everything she can to improve the quality of life for those residents. She said safety is a major concern on the west side of Athens, and things like lighting and sidewalks should be improved.

“We need to make sure that the city is doing everything it can to ensure residents feel safe living, working, and spending time in our part of town,” she said in an email.

After graduating from Athens High School and then from Ohio University, Smedley said her family was always into politics but took on a role that wasn’t in the spotlight.

“It wasn’t until 2017 did I first run for office,” she said in an email. “I was appointed to fill a vacant Athens City Council at-large seat, and then I ran for a full term. I was unsuccessful, and learned a great deal from that experience. I knew if I was to run again, it’d be for my ward, or my neighborhood. So that is what I did.”

She said that being involved in local government was a product of good timing.

“I entered a time in my life where I felt like I had the bandwidth and the experience to do some good for the city that’s been so good to me,” she said in an email.

As both a member and councilwoman for her community, Smedley said citizens of the west side can expect to feel heard.

“The simple fact that I’ll be in a position of representing my neighbors, in a neighborhood where I was essentially raised, is exhilarating,” she said in an email. “I’m passionate about the West Side, and I’m passionate about finding ways to make our part of town even better.”

After moving to Athens in 1991 and becoming a west side resident in second grade, she said that the community hasn’t changed much, but there is room for improvement.

“The West Side Ballfields, also known as West State Street Park, was better maintained back then,” Smedley said. “That park has been neglected for many years. It’s my hope that during my tenure we’ll see improvements there.”

And as a community member, Smedley said spending time with her family, among other hobbies, is how she spends her free time. She and her son also train in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

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Smedley said her goal is to ensure the citizens she is representing actually feel represented and that they feel proud to live in their community. She said she hopes to use her experience as a long-time community member to make the right changes.

“I’ve been in this town long enough to know where we have progressed as a neighborhood, and where we have not,” Smedley said in an email. “It’s my hope I’ll be able to channel that experience into positive improvements.”

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THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 11

ELECTION NIGHT IN ATHENS

Post photographers captured the excitement and atmosphere of Athens during the 2019 election

(ABOVE) A sign out front of the Athens Country Court house stands on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019.

(RYAN GRZYBOWSKI / FOR THE POST) (LEFT) Joe Radwany, known as Joe Rad, examines results at the Athens Board of Elections on Wednesday, Nov. 5 2019.

(CARRIE LEGG / FOR THE POST) (RIGHT) Dick Planisek (right) and his wife, Lana, ďŹ ll out ballots at a polling center located at the Innovation Center on State Street for Election Day in Athens, Ohio, on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019. (NATE SWANSON / PHOTO EDITOR)

12 / NOV. 6, 2019

(LEFT) Mayor Steve Patterson and his wife, Connie, celebrate his reelection with a kiss while their daughter hugs him on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019.

(LAURA BILSON / FOR THE POST) (RIGHT) Cathie Chapman, Beth Clodfelter, Lenny Eliason and Ric Wasserman read the Athens General Election results at Pigskin Bar and Grill on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019.

(LAURA BILSON / FOR THE POST) (BELOW) Kathy Hecht (left) hugs Beth Clodfelter (right) after Clodfelter’s victory in the race for Athens City Council at The Pigskin Bar and Grille on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019.

(ANTHONY WARNER / FOR THE POST) (BOTTOM RIGHT) Athens County Treasurer Ric Wasserman speaks to fellow Democratic Party supporters at The Pigskin Bar and Grille on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2019.

(ANTHONY WARNER / FOR THE POST)

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 13

Athens County EMS levy passes REGAN GRAY FOR THE POST Issue 19, a levy to renew the original $1 million levy for the Emergency Medical Services of Athens County, passed by 75.74% of the vote.

The Athens County EMS relies heavily on the levy, making up about 50% of the service’s budget. The Athens County EMS currently staff five stations in the county and provide service 24 hours a week every day.

Almost all of the money will go toward medical equipment and keeping the level of service that Athens County EMS provides, ACEMS Chief Rick Callebs said.

“I’m a former EMT, so I’m really excited that that one got funded,” Michael Fletcher, an Athens township resident, said. “(It’s a) critical community service.

It has done so much and continue to do so much for the community. It would be a shame not to continue to support it. EMS has been underfunded forever, and you know those guys work their tail off for nothing.

24-hour shifts ... they’re just killing themselves, and they get paid hardly anything.”

The levy was not an increase to the taxes, as it was asking for the same amount it has over the past five years. The funding for the EMS services is 50% property tax and 50% patient billing.

“I’m not gonna be a cheapskate when it comes to medical services,” Gerry Smith, Athens County resident, said. “If I end up horizontal on the street, I want (EMS) to show up and be funded.”

This levy is voted on for renewal every five years and is in rotation with others that are staggered to be voted on within the five years, so EMS will have sufficient funding.

“Yeah, I think that all of those programs are good to have,” Abby Karagory, a sophomore studying early childhood education, said.

The levy money is used to purchase new equipment as well as the maintenance of the other equipment.

The price of the new equipment continues to increase

obert Sochia cleans up after taking a patient into the Emergency Room at O’Bleness on Friday, Feb. 15, 2019.

(EMILEE CHINN / FOR THE POST)

over the years, and the money that is taken from the levies cover the cost.

“EMS, I’m really glad people supported that,” Beth Clodfelter, the newly elected At-Large councilwoman, said. “Who knows when you’re gonna need it? It’s really important to have a strong EMS program ’cause anybody might end up needing their assistance at sometime.”

City Law Director Lisa Eliason and Mayor Steve Patterson also expressed support for the EMS levy.

Both said that it is extremely important to the county.

“They’re doing great work, but again, they’re finding themselves strapped more and constantly having to serve more people throughout the county, so it’s just good,” Patterson said. “It’s good that it passed.”

@GRAY13REGAN RG879318@OHIO.EDU

The renewal of the tuberculosis levy passes MADDIE BUSSERT FOR THE POST The tuberculosis levy, a renewal of a levy that is already in place that supports the tuberculosis program, has passed. 57.04% of residents voted in favor of the levy.

The tuberculosis program, offered by the Athens City-County Health Department, identifies people who have been exposed to tuberculosis and provides testing to determine if the disease is active or dormant. If a person is infected with the disease and does not have insurance to pay for medication, the program provides treatment free of charge.

Now that the levy has passed, the city will continue to support that program.

“There actually used to be a specific tuberculosis 14 / NOV. 6, 2019

clinic, and it is a specific portion of funding for the health department,” Sarah Grace, D-At Large, said. “It was a renewal levy, so it’s just to maintain the level of funding that we currently had.”

If the levy were to fail, it would have made it more difficult to administer the program and pay for antibiotics that treat active tuberculosis, James Gaskell, the Athens County health commissioner, said.

“This is a very important levy and a very strong program,’’ Gaskell said. “We are lucky to be one of the few counties that have that program.”

Eva Holtkamp, president of the College Democrats of Ohio, thinks that the levy was important for Athens because it’s such a rural area.

“It’s important to provide people in rural areas with those resources because it’s harder to get to hospitals

in rural areas,” Holtkamp said. “Those general resources are really important for people in rural appalachia.”

Beth Clodfelter, D-At Large, thinks that the several levies that passed will result in a stronger community as a whole.

“I think it’s really wonderful that the people of Athens supported these important levy renewals,” Clodfelter said. “There were so many good causes being considered, and I think we’re going to have a healthier, stronger and fairer community as a result of these levies being passed.”

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Children services levy passes The levy passed with 64% of the vote EMMA SKIDMORE FOR THE POST

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The Athens County Children Services, or ACCS, levy that pays for child care and child support services passed with about 64% of the vote.

The levy both replaced the existing $2 million allocated to the children services and added an extra $500,000.

The existing $2 million levy was passed in 2000 and has not been updated until now, according to ACCS. The funds, however, will go to support children in foster care within Athens County.

“So this is actually an existing levy . . . so this year, it’s a replacement with an increase,” Robin Webb, a representative from Athens County Children Services, said.

Children Services operates off another levy, which was renewed in 2015 and results in roughly $2.28 million for

the organization. These levies make up the majority of children services funding, but the services are also funded by the federal government, state and external funding sources.

This $2.5 million levy would cost a homeowner of a $100,000 home $87.5 per year, according to an ACSS news release.

ACCS said that despite an increase in funding, Ohio is the lowest ranked state in terms of child protective ser vices.

“I work with kids, so I feel very passionate about their care,” Abby Karagory, a sophomore studying early childhood education, said.

Erin Hogan, a New Marshfield resident, thought it was a good thing to be supporting.

“I just think it’s something that we need,” Jennifer Adams, a Nelsonville resident who worked the polls, said.

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The majority of the candidates were in support of nearly all of the levies.

“I personally supported all the levies on the ballot,” Councilwoman Sarah Grace D-At Large said. “These provide really, really significant and important

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Grace said that because they were renewals, she expects to see them come up on the ballot again in the future.

“I’m really proud of the Athens community for supporting the child care levy renewal,” Councilwoman Beth Clodfelter, D -At Large, said. “I think it is wonderful that people are willing to share a little bit of their money to help children in need and to help the people who work so tirelessly to try to help those kids.”

Clodfelter was in strong support for the levy renewal and increase.

“We’ll be a far better community and county in the future if every kid gets treated well and has a good chance to have a good future,” she said.

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Health department levy passes The Athens County Health Department sits at 278 W. Union St., Athens, Ohio.

(KELSEY BOEING / DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY)

MADDIE BUSSERT FOR THE POST The replacement levy for the Athens City-County Health Department passed by just over 4,000 votes.

About 67.51% of residents voted for the tax levy.

The $400,000 replacement levy supports all the general activities that the health department offers.

The levy will continue to help fund the health department’s wide variety of services, including vital statistics.

This includes birth and death certificates, environmental health services — which offer restaurant inspections — water sample inspections and a rabies control program. A public health nursing program that offers numerous different immunizations and a program that provides cribs for children in need is also supported by the levy.

The levy will allow the department to continue to support all the programs that the health department offers for the residents of Athens County, James Gaskell, Athens County health commissioner, said.

William Fowler, an Athens County resident, said he voted for the levy.

“I basically voted progressive on everything,” Fowler said. “People need help from the health department, and everyone needs funding, so stuff like that’s important to me and other residents.”

Leeanna Botts, another Athens County resident, said she voted against the levy.

Botts said she voted against the levy because she

hadn’t received an increase in a while.

“If I had more money, I wouldn’t mind voting ‘yes,’ but this was a financial decision for me,” Botts said.

Mayor Steve Patterson said the levy was really important for the department.

“They’re doing really great work at the health department,” Patterson said. “In rural Ohio, illegal dumping has become a big problem. People think they can just dump old tires and such, which becomes a big problem and can harm

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people. That’s a reason our health department is important.”

He also said that he and his wife take their daughters to the health department to get their flu shots.

“It’s really important to continue to make sure we’re investing in our county health department,” Patterson said.

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Athens Public Library levy passes REGAN GRAY FOR THE POST The Athens Public Library levy passed with about 64% of the vote.

The levy offers a rise in funds for the county’s public libraries to continue operating at their current state.

Now that the levy has passed, the money will go toward keeping it open, paying the staff members and paying for new resources as well as current ones.

“There’s no better investment on the taxpayer dollars,” Nicholas Tepe, director of Athens County Public Libraries, said.

The current lev y of $1 million is no longer sufficient in maintaining the budget. The proposed $1.2 million lev y would last a five-year term and will keep the library operating at its current state, leaving it in the same financial situation.

“I voted for that. We love our libraries,” Marilyn Holbert, an Athens county resident, said.

The library currently receives most of its funding from Ohio’s Public Library Fund, or PLF, and the recent fiveyear $1 million levy. After the financial crisis of 2008, however, the state cut the Public Library Fund by about 30%. This resulted in cuts, layoffs and reduced hours at libraries statewide. The current levy was passed to make up for the lost state funds, which have remained relatively flat since 2009.

“Libraries are a huge asset, and yes, I very much support them,” Gerry Smith, an Athens County resident, said.

While the state fund-

The $1.2 million Athens Public Library levy passed with about 64% of the vote.

(NATE SWANSON / PHOTO EDITOR)

ing has remained f lat, the library’s expenses have continued to rise.

Now with the new levy, the library will be able to continue to operate at the same standard it has been.

“We’ve got areas in the county where they have zero broadband, yet we have an awful lot of school kids that have to do homework online or use online resources to get the information they need to do their homework,” Patterson said. “A lot of (students) will use the public library … to get their work done. So I think continually investing in our public libraries is critical, especially in Athens County.”

The new levy will cost the homeowner

of a $100,000 property approximately $3.50 a month, which is an increase of about $0.85 per month from the previous levy.

“I think it is wonderful that the Athens community has once again supported our Athens Public Library,” Beth Clodfelter, the newly elected atlarge councilwoman, said. “I think that the Athens Public Library system … provides such important resources to our low-income residents here in the county to lots of kids and to all of us of all ages and people of all different interests because they have so many good resources.”

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THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 17

SO LISTEN

How to prepare for impeachment

MIKAYLA ROCHELLE is a sophomore studying journalism at Ohio University.

The calls for impeachment of the president have been circling the news cycle for a while, but recently, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced that the House of Representatives will formally vote on a resolution to begin an impeachment process.

The reason for impeachment is rooted in phone calls that took place between President Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine. The call took place on July 25, and the transcript of the call has been declassified and can be found on the official White House website, Whitehouse.gov.

Contrary to what a lot of people may believe, impeachment can’t happen just because Congress doesn’t like the President, and it is not synonymous with removal from office. Impeachment is simply the process of investigating and figuring out if an elected official has committed a crime or done something criminal to get them removed from office. Just because a President is impeached does not necessarily mean they are guilty, similar in a way to being on trial.

The details for the process of impeachment can be found in the Constitution.

While it is important for all citizens to be familiar with all parts of the Constitution, it is especially important to be aware of these particular sections as the impeachment process moves forward.

ery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.” This article defines that for impeachment to occur, one of these government officials would have to be suspected of breaking the law.

ARTICLE II, SECTION 4 This article lays out the powers of the executive branch, the office of the presidency. This particular section says that the president, vice president and all civil officers of the U.S. can be removed from office by impeachment for “Treason, Brib-

ARTICLE I: SECTION 3, CLAUSE 6 Article I continues to lay out the powers of the legislative branch in Section 3, the section that focuses on the Senate.

In Clause 6, the Constitution states that if the House of Representatives votes to impeach, the Senate will then have the

ARTICLE I: SECTION 2, CLAUSE 5 Article I is the article that lays out the powers of the Legislative Branch, and Section 2 focuses on the House of Representatives. Clause 5 of this section states that the House of Representatives “shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.” This means that if an impeachment process were to begin, it would start with a vote in the House of Representatives to determine if they want to begin the process for removal of office. This vote is by simple majority rule.

power to try the impeachment. They will be on “Oath or Affirmation,” meaning everyone will be sworn in to tell the truth.

The U.S. Supreme Court chief justices will preside. After hearing the case at hand, Senate will vote if they agree that the president has committed treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors.

Two-thirds of the senators must vote in favor in order for the president to be removed from office.

As this process begins, it is critical that Americans are aware of what is going on.

It’s important to know the process and the facts at hand. Get familiar with those articles and that process. Read the transcript of the phone call with the president of Ukraine. Most importantly, don’t just take in surface-level information and assume what people are saying is right. Read the primary source information, and decide what you truly think.

Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. What are your thoughts? Tell Mikayla by tweeting her at @mikayla_roch.

NOAH’S ARK

Vote with local interests in mind

NOAH WRIGHT is a junior studying strategic communication at Ohio University.

The Athens City Council and mayoral debates seem light years away from the 2020 national races. From the small crowds gathering into local libraries to the plastic folding tables, those elections seem like an entirely alien form of politics. But there is a lot to be learned from local races.

Somewhere along the line, presidential debates became less about candidates debating their political philosophies and more about putting on a 18 / NOV. 6, 2019

Super Bowl-esque experience for the nation to obsess over.

There is an overwhelming lack of humanity in national politics. When Athens natives participate in local elections, the candidates we vote for are stakeholders in the community, but very few presidential candidates can say they are impacted by the well-being of middle America.

Looking for a candidate that feels the way Athens City Council feels is a great fi rst step to bridging the gap between local and national politics. Regardless of policy, it’s easy to see how Bernie Sanders seems more like a local representative than Joe Biden or Cory Booker.

That is the source of Donald Trump’s success in 2016: he went to marginalized communities in “flyover country” and spoke to them the way a representative from their town might. Sherrod Brown also maintains his success by presenting himself as an everyday Ohioan who truly has value in the

well-being of the state.

The current mayoral race — and City Council to some degree — reflects the state of national Democratic politics.

Mayor Steve Patterson is seen as an establishment Democrat by more progressive Athenians, and Damon Krane is the social democrat candidate. Those same strains are present on the Democratic National Committee with candidates like Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Sen. Tulsi Gabbard running for the same nomination as Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

Local politics don’t happen in a vacuum. In fact, all levels of government directly impact one another. If voters want to impact change, organizing locally is a strong start but an unfortunately slow path to take.

If the direct lines to national politics aren’t enough to convince voters, Brookings conducted a study in Washington, D.C., that shows how local elections can literally be life or death

in some cases. How policy is put into place has a serious impact on voters within a local district.

Information about local elections is harder to gather, and opinions are harder to form, so engagement tends to be lower. There isn’t a massive 24-hour news cycle covering small, local elections like there are congressional and presidential elections.

Regardless of what lens the races are being viewed through, local, state and national elections are all connected and important. Low voter turnout in local elections may have more adverse effects than any presidential race can. Whether it’s this November or 2020, voting with local interests in mind makes for stronger communities.

Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. Want to talk to Noah? Tweet him @NoahCampaign.

Seeking out ideas

Athens City Council has become a one-party government

MADDIE BUSSERT FOR THE POST he Athens City Council has now become a one-party government after Tuesday night’s elections, as Democrats were elected to every atlarge seat.

A one party-government refers to a region in which a single party of government is in control. That sometimes happens in the U.S. when only Republicans or Democrats are elected into a government body.

In Athens, this is now the case, as Beth Clodfelter was elected over Patrick McGee, Ellie Hamrick and Chris Monday to an At-Large seat. Clodfelter is a Democrat, McGee and Monday are independents and Hamrick is a socialist.

Having a one-party Democratic City Council could mean that groupthink could occur, DeLysa Burnier, an OU political science professor, said. Alternative ideas that Republicans or members of other political parties would have had may not

be considered when councilmembers are having important discussions.

“One-party government is generally never a good thing,” Burnier said. “You lose out on diversity of values and ideas, and you also lose out on argument and debate. In general, I’m never crazy about one-party government.”

Although Burnier said one-party government is usually not good, she thinks there is enough diversity throughout the Democratic party in Athens to where it wouldn’t be as big of an issue as it would if state government were one-party.

“There’s age diversity, work occupation diversity and experience diversity among the Democrats (in Athens),” Burnier said. “I just think that the party is diverse here at the local level, so it’s less of a problem for sure.”

Clodfelter agrees that the possibility of a one-party City Council wouldn’t be an issue because she and other Democrats that are currently on City Council have differing opinions.

“We get into arguments about things,”

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Clodfelter said. “Some are much more conservative Democrats. Some are much more liberal. We are not just monochromatic, even though we’re in the same party.”

After making the decision to run for City Council, Clodfelter has been in regular attendance of the meetings. She said if she were to be elected, she thinks there would be many intense discussions among the Democratic City Council because there are a lot of things that she and other members don’t agree on.

Echo chamber, a term used to metaphorically describe a situation in which beliefs are amplified or reinforced by communication and repetition inside a closed system, is a possible outcome of having a one-party Council, Burnier said.

An echo chamber could occur if democratic ideas are continually reinforced instead of challenged during important conversations councilmembers have.

Burnier said she believes that the possibility of echo chamber is less of an issue because of the wide diversity of the Democratic candidates and current Dem-

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ocratic members of City Council.

Groupthink, on the other hand, is something that Burnier thinks the new City Council body will need to be careful about.

“I think that perhaps it’s important for councilmembers to remind themselves that they don’t want to get into groupthink,” Burnier said. “I think someone needs to remind the group to consider the range of opinion in the community and ask themselves, ‘Have we consulted widely and to not just assume that we all know what the problem is?’ It needs to be actively guarded against, and City Council needs to be proactive about it.”

Burnier also said although it’s possible that groupthink could occur in a group setting without being aware of it, City Council can at least be conscious of it and actively try to prevent it from happening.

Patrick McGee, an independent who ran for reelection, said in an email that it is unfortunate that Democrats have retaken total control of City Council.

Now that it has happened, Burnier thinks that a member of City Council should make a self-appointed role that will seek out a range of opinions and make sure groupthink does not occur.

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THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 19

BEYOND BALLOT THE

ABBY MILLER

NEWS EDITOR

GRAPHICS BY RILEE LOCKHART

Kyle Serrott remembers exactly where he was during election night in 2016.

Serrott, a first-year graduate student studying political science, was at a gay bar in Columbus.

The bar was filled with hope and was a fun environment, Serrott said. Drag queens were dressed as Hillary Clinton, and the early evening was festive, as election forecasts showed Clinton, a Democrat, ahead of now-President Donald Trump at the polls.

ART DIRECTOR

As results for the presidential election continued to trickle in at about 10 p.m., however, the energy in the bar shifted, Serrott said.

“It just turned really somber,” Serrott said. “And everybody was just kind of shocked.”

For voters across the country, the 2016 election ushered in a new era of political advocacy and participation. The 2018 midterms saw an 11% increase in voter turnout from 2014, according to the U.S. Census

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Bureau, but not everyone has been able to take part in the newfound political frenzy.

Voters who are a part of the LGBT+ community are facing voter disenfranchisement across the country and in Athens. From trouble with legal documents to unresponsive representatives, the growing block of voters is also facing a growing number of roadblocks on their path to the polls.

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LOCALLY LACKING The LGBT+ community widely faces housing insecurity and has a disproportionate rate of homelessness, Serrott said. He also believes they rent at a higher rate.

To help combat that issue and others, Serrott said Ellie Hamrick is a “really good” local candidate for LGBT+ people.

Hamrick, a socialist running for an At-Large seat on Athens City Council, has made housing a prime component of her platform.

Hamrick also said she would be the only openly queer elected official in Athens if elected. In her opinion, housing justice is key to promoting freedom for queer and transgender individuals.

“These issues seem to be of no concern to my Democratic opponents, who are totally out of touch with working class people and who have done nothing to change the fact that Athens is the poorest and most unequal county in Ohio, even though their party has been in power for as long as many college students have been alive,” Hamrick said in an email.

Hamrick has collaborated with mayoral candidate Damon Krane, an independent democratic socialist, to create “Operation Slumlord Smackdown.” The plan looks to change Athens’ renting policies by hiring more workers in the city code office, instituting rent control and more strictly enforcing city code, according to a previous Post report.

FEMALE VOTERS

LGBT+ VOTERS 51.2%

AGE: 18 – 24

LGBT+ VOTERS NON-LGBT+ VOTERS 10.2% 13.8% DATA FROM PROJECT VOTE, JUNE 2014

ROADBLOCKS The number of people in America who identify as a part of the LGBT+ community is growing. That growing group is also largely made up of young people who are becoming more politically active, Grant Stancliff, communications director at Equality Ohio, said.

“With greater political power comes backlash,” Stancliff said. “There’s value for some people in getting other people not to vote.”

Many of those young people are college students, like Serrott. For those voters, living on a college campus can pose a challenge.

Serrott said he moved dorms during his first semester at Ohio University. He didn’t think he had to update his voter registration for moving between buildings and ended up voting absentee since his polling location changed.

Serrott now makes sure to update his voter registration whenever he moves, but many students make the same mistake he did in 2012.

“As young people are trying to just build more and become more politically engaged, we’re seeing a lot of attempts to try to … disallow students from voting,” Stancliff said.

Around 21% of LGBT+ adults are not registered to vote, according to UCLA’s Williams Institute. By comparison, 17% of non-LGBT adults are not registered.

For transgender voters, problems also lie in having the documentation to vote.

In 2014, 27% of transgender citizens who had transitioned reported they had no identification documents or records that list their correct gender, according to Project Vote.

Stancliff said when someone is transitioning, voting can be something that is completely inaccessible or harder to get to.

“To get an updated voter ID card, you need a driver’s license with your accurate name on it,” Stancliff said. “And then to get that driver’s license, you probably need to go to court to get your name legally changed. To get your name legally changed, in many cases, you might need a doctor to sign off on that.”

AGE: 45 – 54

LGBT+ VOTERS NON-LGBT+ VOTERS 19.2% 19.6%

MALE VOTERS

NON-LGBT+ VOTERS 51.7%

LGBT+ VOTERS 48.8%

AGE: 25 – 34

LGBT+ NON-LGBT+ VOTERS VOTERS 13.8% 27.3%

AGE: 55 – 64

LGBT+ VOTERS NON-LGBT+ VOTERS 14.8% 14.8%

Serrott said he thinks state and local representatives aren’t really in tune with the needs of the LGBT+ community. Serrott, who helps with the OU LGBT center’s graduate student programming, also said he doesn’t believe any local officials have reached out to the center on doing town halls or programs on LGBT+ issues.

Micah McCarey, interim director of the LGBT center, confirmed that the center has not had recent communications with city officials about voter registration.

THE ROAD AHEAD Stancliff said 2016 marked some of the first intentional efforts to promote LGBT+ voter registration in Ohio. The election results were disheartening for some, Stancliff said, but have also resulted in the further mobilization of LGBT+ voters.

“For a lot of people … (Trump’s election) can be scary and traumatizing and make one want to hide. And for other people, it can steal their resolve to get registered to vote,” Stancliff said. “We’re really trying to help people to channel a lot of that … existential frustration and fear from what (Trump’s) administration has done and really channel that into power by voting.”

Equality Ohio is already looking at 2020 elections, Stancliff said. The group is hoping to help fuel voter registration efforts through a variety of platforms. Text messages, online registration and going to people’s doors are all part of the organization’s efforts.

NON-LGBT+ VOTERS 48.3%

AGE: 35 – 44

LGBT+ VOTERS NON-LGBT+ VOTERS 23.8% 18.9%

AGE: 64 AND OVER LGBT+ VOTERS

3.5%

NON-LGBT+ VOTERS 16.4%

Hamrick is hoping to make changes in Athens to help promote LGBT+ rights if elected. She’d like to mandate that all public, single-occupancy restrooms in Athens be labeled as gender-inclusive and that multi-stall, gender-segregated restrooms have signage posted. She said doing so would help show that all people have the right to use public restrooms regardless of gender expression.

“This is about the fundamental right of trans, nonbinary, intersex and visibly queer people to participate fully in our society,” Hamrick said in an email.

Serrott would like to see more interaction between public officials and the LGBT+ community in Athens. That means extending the conversation beyond the OU’s LGBT center.

“The LGBT Center here is a good resource, but it’s not the only resource,” Serrott said. “And frankly, it’s just a university resource. So while we try ... to be involved in the outside community now, you can’t reach everybody.”

Serrott said the 2016 elections represent a shift in how people think and serve as a marker for politics moving forward.

“I think 2016 elections is one of those times where, like, you ... remember where you were the next day,” Serrott said. “My parents remember where they were when Kennedy was assassinated. It was one of those moments, I think — kind of monumental.”

@ABBLAWRENCE AM166317@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 21

the weekender School of Music’s Voice Division to perform French opera scenes TAYLOR BURNETTE FOR THE POST

The Ohio University School of Music’s Voice Division will present a performance of French opera scenes at Glidden Recital Hall Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m.

The performance will feature seven scenes, including the entire first act from Cendrillon , the French operatic version of Cinderella , scenes from Carmen and scenes from Dialogues of the Carmelites , among others.

“The seven scenes are different.

Some of them are comedic; some of them are really dramatic. It’s all over the place,” Andrew Ryker, assistant professor of opera and voice in the OU Music School, said.

Although all of the operas being performed are of French origin, two of the seven will be English translations, Ryker, the director of the French opera scenes production, said.

To Savannah Gordon, a graduate student studying voice performance, each of the scenes share the factor that they are French operas, but beyond that, the scenes do not have much in common.

“None of the themes are reminiscent of each other, which is really cool,” Gordon said. “Everything and everyone’s themes are different.”

The scenes touch on a variety of topics, featuring both comedy and drama, Ryker said. They also range in time period, with a couple that are from the Baroque Era and even one that is from the 20th century.

To Ryker, the range of style and language makes the performance appealing to a variety of audience members.

“I would say that it’s probably an enjoyable time there for anybody, whether they’re opera fans or not,” Ryker said.

The performance features many different types of students.

“There are students of every type from the university, meaning that we have freshmen all the way through third22 / NOV. 6, 2019

year grad students,” Ryker said. “So they participate in varying ways. Sometimes the younger students are just in the chorus or have a small part. And then the graduate students that are really majoring are usually more involved.”

For some of the students in the performance, the French language has been a challenge to work with.

“I would say in terms of my own preparation, not only have I been looking at the translation, but also looking at and making sure that how I’m pronouncing these words is correct,” Anthony Humphrey, a graduate student studying voice performance and pedagogy, said.

The students had to go through a “French bootcamp” to prepare for the performance.

“Professor Ryker had a French bootcamp for a week and taught us all about the rules of singing French and how it’s different than speaking French and kind of getting us into the French mindset,” Jeralayne Ruiz, a graduate student studying voice performance and pedagogy, said.

Another challenge proved to be the time and effort it took to learn the large amount of music being performed.

“It was a lot of time up in the practice rooms in Glidden drilling out my part,” Ruiz said. “It’s working with other people who are in the scenes that I was with, in addition to going to rehearsals multiple times a week and really getting it together.”

The art of opera is very similar to musical theater in that there are characters, costumes and a definitive storyline, Ryker said.

“When people say they don’t like opera, I’m always like, ‘But wait,’” Ryker said. “There’s over 500 years of this opera that’s been composed and so many different styles and so many different places. It’s hard to say, ‘I don’t like something’ that you haven’t really experienced the breadth of how much there is out there.”

Ryker said that opera is the culmina-

From left to right, Taylor Mayne, Kenna McWilliams and Lena Daitz rehearse for a performance of Le Comte Ory by Gioachino Rossini in Athens, Ohio, on Monday, Nov. 5, 2019. (ERIN BURK / FOR THE POST)

tion of many different types of art put together into one medium.

“There’s design. There’s music.

There’s acting. There’s dancing. There’s art,” Ryker said. “All sorts of things that go into this one art form.”

The variety of scenes provides something for audiences of many tastes.

“There’s some really funny stuff, some really funny scenes,” Ruiz said.

“There’s some very beautiful themes, and then there’s some really traumatic and heartbreaking ones, so I think it’ll be really interesting for the audience to come see.” @THATDBEMYLUCK TB040917@OHIO.EDU

IF YOU GO WHAT: French Opera Scenes WHEN: Saturday, 8 p.m. and Sunday, 2 p.m.

WHERE: Glidden Recital Hall ADMISSION: FREE

WHAT’S GOING ON? GWEN JONES FOR THE POST

FRIDAY Trust Me Dance Party with DJ B-Funk at 10 p.m. at Casa Nueva Restaurant and Cantina, 6 W. State St. Dance at this second-annual party with no genre limitations. There’ll be something for everyone. Admission: Free

Harvest Hoedown at 3 p.m. at the

Athens County Fairgrounds, 286 W. Union St. Enjoy live music, food, games and other festivities.

All proceeds benefit the Athens County Child Advocacy Center.

Admission: Free

Shiloh Hawkins at 7 p.m. at Little

Fish Brewing Company, 8675 Armitage Road. Listen to original lyrics from singer-songwriter Shiloh Hawkins. Admission: Free

Ohio University LGBT Center, 354 Baker Center. Play games, geek out and make friends. Admission: Free

Wren and Shephard Duo at 6 p.m.

at Jackie O’s Brewery, 25 Campbell St. Grab dinner, and check out an acoustic performance.

Admission: Free

SATURDAY Madama Butterfly at 12:55 p.m. at

The Athena Cinema, 20 S. Court St. Presented by OU Performing Arts Series, College of Fine Arts, Arts for Ohio and George Weckman, this live cinema transmission is bringing opera to more than 2,200 theaters in more than 70 countries worldwide. Admission: Free for students with OU ID, $18 general admission

HARLEM 100

Celebrating the 100th anniv. of the Harlem Renaissance

Thursday Nov. 7th 7:30 pm

$8 Student; $13 Senior; $15 general

ohio.edu/performing-arts Putnam Hall • Shirley Wimmer Dance Theater

THE MOVEMENT ORGANIZATION DANCE CONCERT Nov. 7th & Nov. 8th 7:00 pm

SUNDAY Wood Turned Fun at 2 p.m. at The

Superqueeroes at 2 p.m. at the

Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium

Dairy Barn Arts Center, 8000 Dairy Lane. Build your own rolling pin, ornament or pen with a wood lathe.

Admission: $25

Cort Schneider at 2 p.m. at Little Professional Book Center, 65 S. Court St., Ste 2. Come to hear author Cort Schneider discuss his book, Trial of Miles: A Disabled Runner’s Memoir, which is about disabilities and the power of one’s perspective.

Admission: Free

Tickets are required, and can be purchased at the Memorial Auditorium Ticket Office or by calling 740-593-1780 $7 General Admission $5 OHIO Students with ID

ohio.edu/fine-arts/about/ news-events

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YOUR NEXT EVENT HERE

because it’s an affordable (cheap) way to expose art, music, theater, films, exhibitions, and non-profit events and happenings

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Rec Skate at 3 p.m. at Bird Arena,

102 Oxbow Trail. Bring your friends to an afternoon full of ice skating.

Admission: $5 for adults, $4 for children, free for students

@GWENVJONES GJ145618@OHIO.EDU

Athens Public Library 30 Home Street

Jackie O’s Taproom 25 Campbell Street

FRIENDS OF THE ATHENS LIBRARY

HISTORY ON TAP

Large selection of fition and nonfiction titles.

Very large selection of vintage children’s books, CDs and DVDs. Bring a bag and FILL IT UP! All proceeds benefit the ACPL activities. Most titles 3 for $1; newer titles and specialty items $1

Who says history belongs in a museum? History on Tap is a monthly event hosted by Tom O’Grady and SE Ohio History Center staff members to bring history to the masses. Join us for lively discussions and a few pints. Open to everyone.

Saturday, Nov 9th 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Tuesday, Nov 12th 5:00 - 7:30 pm

USED BOOK SALE

WITH TOM O’GRADY

FREE ADMISSION

FREE ADMISSION

Casa Nueva

Tony’s Tavern

EARLY SHOW

Join Word of Mouth Jazz Band nearly every Tuesday

Saturday Nov. 9th 6:00 pm

Tuesday, Nov 12th 9:00 pm

The Athena Cinema

ArtsWest • 132 W State

One Soldier, One Voice, One story at a time.

Mixed media photography with an eerie twist on mundane activities

CAROW, NADEAU & PAHL

FREE ADMISSION

THE VETERANS’ PROJECT Monday, Nov 11th 1:00 pm

JAZZ NIGHT

TINA FISHER’S “OH DEER”

On view through Nov. 27th

THOUSANDS OF READERS

FREE ADMISSION athenacinema.com

FREE ADMISSION

$15 per week!

West End Ciderhouse

The Dairy Barn Arts Center

for as low as

send us an email postadvertising@ohio.edu Semester pricing and discounts are available.

Space is limited

OPEN MIC NIGHT

Join Chris Monday for Open Mic Night. $1 off most house & draft taps

EVERY MONDAY 7-10 pm

PAINT•PRINT•PHOTO Juried exhibition of works by contemporary Ohio artists

On view through Nov. 30th

FREE ADMISSION

sponsored by the School of Art + Design and College of Fine Arts

OPEN STAGE Casa Nueva

TRUST ME DANCE PARTY

A very special Dance party.

No rules or genre limitationsand no special requets

Friday Nov. 8th 10:00 pm

Donkey Coffee

DESIGNATED SPACE Poetry, prose and spokenword open stage.

Multicultural Art Gallery • Baker Ctr

THE ART EXHIBIT

BY BLACK PEOPLE

EVERY TUESDAY 9-11 pm

through December 1st

donkeycoffee.com

FREE ADMISSION

Featuring Tsasia Mercado, kent Harris, & Elijah Justice

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 23

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