Letters: Long lines in the hot sun unacceptable. Issue 1 voting wait too long.
Where are the machines?
My husband and I voted early at the only voting location in Franklin County on Morse Road.
More: Issue 1 forum to air July 20. We want to answer your questions
We were surprised there was a half-hour wait around 3 p.m. on a Wednesday. We wondered why the line was outside as the building is so large. When we got inside, we saw the blocked off voting area was only a small part of the large building — and that there were much fewer voting machines than in the past.
More: August special election bringing in more early votes than expected around Columbus
Our view: A 'yes' vote on Issue 1 would drive dagger in Ohio's 'heart'
I asked one of the workers why there were so few machines and she said she had told officials more were needed but was told not many people were going to vote.
Our Ohio Legislature assumes and hopes few people will vote in this very important election.
My worry is that to ensure few will vote, election locations will be eliminated as will voting machines. People may not be able to stand in line in the hot sun-or wait in a long line-and will be discouraged to vote.
It looks like this is what the people pushing this bill want.
Janet Hanson, Worthington
Tragedies abound
Did you read this July 12 story ""Tenn. man sentenced for murdering a Columbus man" about the tragic murder of a Columbus man by a young man from Tennessee?
More: Tennessee man says he doesn't know why he fatally shot Columbus man to steal a car
My heart breaks for the family and friends of Kenneth Ramsey. They have every right to want punishment because of their extreme suffering. My heart also breaks to hear about the early life of the murderer of Ramsey, Joshua Binkley.
Binkley was born in prison, adopted, abused, didn’t graduate from high school, was homeless as a teen, and found to be bipolar and autistic.
Tragedies abound.
These issues don’t excuse Binkley, but they might serve to help explain his violent and cold-hearted behavior.
A young friend of mine shared this quote with me from Frederick Douglass: “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”
Building strong children means an equitable public education system regardless of your zip code, accessible and affordable mental health treatment, true rehabilitation efforts for people and parents who are incarcerated, and affordable and safe housing.
More: How to submit a letter to the editor for The Columbus Dispatch
Yes, these are difficult challenges that take lots of public policy changes and resources. And yes, people committing crimes need to be held accountable for their actions. But don’t we want safer, housed, supported and educated children who grow up to be healthy and strong women and men? Of course, we do.
These policy changes are within our power if we have the will to fight for them. It’s all connected, and we’re all connected.
Deborah A. Crawford, Columbus
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Letters: Issue 1 voters shouldn't have to wait in long lines in hot sun
