Secretary of State Jon Husted today defended use of the word "monopoly" in ballot language describing state Issue 3, which seeks to legalize marijuana in Ohio. "We are trying to use simple, plain language that accurately describes the issue," Husted said during a Columbus Metropolitan Club luncheon, where, when asked, he also said he is interested in being governor someday.

Secretary of State Jon Husted today defended use of the word monopoly in ballot language describing state Issue 3, which seeks to legalize marijuana in Ohio.

�What we tried to use is simple, plain language that we believe the average voter will understand and that accurately describes the issues,� Husted said during a Columbus Metropolitan Club luncheon, where, when asked, he also said he is interested in being governor someday.

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Supporters of Issue 3 strongly disagree with ballot summary and title that uses the word monopoly and seems to stress that aspect of the issue over the marijuana legalization.

�The ballot title and language Jon Husted has assigned to Issue 3 is deceptive and misleading,� said Ian James, executive director of ResponsibleOhio, the group of investors pushing to legalize marijuana in Ohio and set up 10 exclusive commercial growing sites.

�It's unthinkable that Ohio's chief elections officer is waging a campaign against Issue 3 from his elected office and using taxpayer dollars to confuse voters and rig the system.�

ResponsibleOhio wants the Ohio Supreme Court to overturn ballot language approved by Husted and the state Ballot Board.

Husted said ResponsibleOhio wants to use poll-tested language to describe the issue in a way voters will support, but he doesn�t want to use �weasel words� that mask what the issue really does.

�The folks who wrote this, if they didn�t want it called a monopoly, then they shouldn�t have created a monopoly,� Husted said, as both he and moderator Mike Thompson broke out the dictionary.

Husted also reiterated his position that if both Issue 3 and Issue 2, a legislative anti-monopoly proposal, pass in November, the marijuana issue would be invalidated, regardless of which issue gets more votes. The language of Issue 2, plus the fact that it would take effect immediately, makes it the dominant issue.

However, if both issues pass, that interpretation is likely to be challenged in court.

Husted also indicated his support for state Issue 1, altering the legislative redistricting process, which currently allows the majority party to gerrymander districts to its benefit. The new process would require minority-party votes in order to pass a 10-year map.

Outside the Athletic Club, more than a dozen protesters held signs and chanted largely in opposition to Husted�s decision in August to deny an effort to place fracking ban charter proposals on the ballot in Athens, Fulton and Medina counties. Three protesters later came into the luncheon, holding signs and chanting �let the people vote� after the program concluded.

Tish O�Dell, a community organizer with the Community Legal Defense Fund and a leader in organizing the protest, said the courts should be allowed to weigh in on the charter proposals, rather than Husted deciding they should be banned from the ballot.

�Residents are upset that they do not have a vote,� O�Dell said.

Husted argued that the Supreme Court has already ruled that the state, not local communities, have the authority to regulate fracking, and the proposals violated that law.

�That doesn�t mean we took the democratic process away from them,� he said. �They just need to use it in the proper venue.�

He suggested that supporters could go to the legislature, or use the initiated statute ballot process, to get the law changed.

Husted also discussed his continuing push to get online voter registration enacted in Ohio.

�I spoke to the speaker of the House (Cliff Rosenberger, R-Clarksville) the other day, and he indicated he thought it was something they�d be able to do this year,� Husted said.

jsiegel@dispatch.com

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