When parties become a bore

Next week, the absentee ballots will be going out for the May primaries. On the ballots will be candidates for the Democratic and Republican state central committees, the parties' top-tier leadership. There are 33 State Senate districts in Ohio and each district gets one man and one woman for the committee, per Ohio rules, for both the Democratic and the Republican parties.

But do the citizen voters really have a choice? In 2012, the current leaders of the Ohio Republican Party decided to endorse themselves, and then voted to spend whatever was needed of donated party money to keep their seats. As many as five different full-color, oversized postcards and a half-dozen robo calls went out promoting one person. Printing and postage alone was over $50,000. For one person to keep their seat for two years.

The Ohio Republican Party got its shake-up last time, replacing chairman Kevin DeWine for his poor judgment and wasting of party funds. But those same old people have gone and done it again, voting to keep their seats with other people's money. If you see a card for a State Central Committee, and it says Paid for by the Ohio Republican Party, vote for the other name on your absentee or election day ballot.

– Cynthea Sabolich, Westlake
Ohio Republican Party District 24 challenger