2020 Election Guide OEA member guide to the Association’s recommended candidates in the November 3 election VOTE Public Education Early In-Person Voting Starting the day after the close of voter registration, you may cast your absentee ballot in person at your county board of elections or voting center as designated by the county. To confirm the location of your precinct or polling place, check with your county board of elections or use the voter lookup tool available on the Secretary of State’s website, voteohio.gov. Early Voting by Mail If you are a qualified Ohio voter and your registration is up to date, you are eligible to cast an absentee ballot. Absentee voting begins the day after the close of voter registration. You must request that an absentee ballot be mailed to you no later than noon on the Saturday before an election, though you should request an absentee ballot as early as possible to have time to receive, vote and return your ballot. You may also download a request form at voteohio.gov. Absentee ballot application forms are available from the Secretary of State’s office or your county board of elections. Once you receive your absentee ballot, vote your ballot and seal it in the identification envelope provided. Be sure to provide all of the information required on the ID envelope. You may then return the ballot either by mail (must be received by your board of elections prior to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day or postmarked no later than the day before the election) or in person to your county board office (must be received by the close of polls on Election Day). Voting Tips for Election Day Polls are open on Election Day from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. You must cast your ballot at your designated polling place. If you do not know the location of your precinct or polling place, please contact your county board of elections or use the voter lookup tool available on the Secretary of State’s website, voteohio.gov. Remember to bring an acceptable form of identification to the polls on Election Day. Acceptable Forms of Identification include: • A current and valid driver’s license or state identification card • An original or copy of a current (within the last 12 months) utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document (other than a notice of voter registration mailed by a board of elections) that shows your name and current address. • Military identification 2 2020 OEA ELECTION GUIDE Your vote in 2020 matters for public education On November 3, you will have the opportunity to help elect pro-public education candidates who put Ohio students first— candidates who support educators, vote for increased education funding, and listen to teachers and education support professionals before they make decisions. Although many of your students can’t vote, it’s absolutely vital that you vote for them this fall. Students rely on you to bring your best to the classroom every day. They also rely on you to be voters who will help make great public schools a top priority. Thousands of educators across Ohio are voting early by mail, early in person, or are headed to the polls on Election Day, and we know you’ll be among them. Take time to read the information in this OEA 2020 Election Guide, information that represents the work of OEA members on local committees who have screened political candidates for the OEA Fund for Children and Public Education. Carefully compare the candidates, and consider voting for those who have—and will continue to—support Ohio students and public education. Visit OhioBallot.com for more information on the 2020 election and how your involvement can make a difference. Talk to your family, friends and neighbors about supporting the candidates who will help Ohio students by funding schools and listening to educators and parents. Sincerely, Scott DiMauro OEA President 2020 OEA ELECTION GUIDE 3 3 Joe Biden for President Steady, informed, compassionate leadership has never from birth, including been more important—our schools and our nation high-quality, universal pre- deserve nothing less. That’s why OEA is proud to stand kindergarten for all three- and with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. four- year-olds demonstrate his lifetime commitment to improving the lives of working Joe Biden is the tireless advocate for public education people. and is the partner that students and educators need now in the White House. He understands that as a With more than 50 percent of all children attending public nation we have a moral responsibility to provide a great schools living in poverty, and the number of homeless neighborhood public school for every student in every ZIP children in public schools doubling since before the code. recession, Biden knows America has swung out of balance. It’s getting harder to get by, let alone get ahead, OEA President Scott DiMauro called Biden a champion for working families. Everyone who works should make for public schools, educators, students, and working ends meet, have a say about their futures, and be able to families. “Biden is committed to attracting and retaining negotiate better wages and benefits to support a family. the best educators by paying them as the professionals From his roots growing up in Scranton, he understands that they are as well as increasing funding for support that and will fight for America’s working families. He staff and paraprofessionals in our schools so our kids get believes a collective voice gives educators and public the care they need and education they deserve,” DiMauro employees the ability to not just maintain a fair workplace said. but also help them stand up and advocate for their “Biden will fire Betsy DeVos and replace her with an students. education secretary who comes from a public school Visit strongpublicschools.org and joebiden.com classroom and he believes educators must have a seat at to learn more. the table when crafting education policy.” Biden has championed public education throughout this campaign and beyond. He and Dr. Jill Biden, an educator and NEA member, have consistently reached out to NEA members across the country building the broad support among NEA members. In the early stages of his campaign, the Biden campaign released comprehensive plans for K-12 and higher education, “pledging to build the best, most innovative schools in the country, especially in low-income communities where the need is the highest.” Biden’s plans to address racial injustice, expand community schools, fully fund IDEA, triple the funds for Title I schools, and invest in children starting 4 2020 OEA ELECTION GUIDE Where Joe Biden stands on the class sizes, and transportation so students can physically distance; upgraded technology and broadband for new biggest issues impacting public forms of instruction; support for social-emotional learning; education and our students and training for educators, parents, and students as Education Funding they adapt to new circumstances.” According to Biden, Joe Biden supports increased opportunities providing schools adequate financial relief is critical for for students and educators. According to Biden, the economy, and warns that the country “would be in “educators deserve a partner in the White House.” His ‘deeper trouble’ if the United States does not spend plan for education includes tripling funding for Title more.” Source: (Biden for President, accessed 8/5/20; Biden for President, I, eliminating funding disparities between schools, accessed 8/11/20; The New York Times, 7/17/20) ensuring families have access to support services and modernized school buildings, and increasing the federal Workers’ Rights government’s investment in educators. He believes Joe Biden supports workers. “To ensure public sector “educators shouldn’t have to fight so hard for resources workers, including public school educators, have a and respect.” greater voice in the decisions that impact their students Source: (Biden for President, accessed 8/5/20) and their working conditions,” Biden “would establish minimum collective bargaining rights for public-sector COVID-19 Response employees” and create a cabinet-level working group to Joe Biden has a plan for COVID. To combat the promote unions. pandemic, Biden has proposed a comprehensive Source: (Biden for President, accessed 8/5/20; Politico, 10/25/19) plan that would provide “free public testing and rapid deployment of supplies, as well as economic measures Racial and Social Justice such as emergency paid leave and the creation of a Joe Biden proposes systemic investments to state and local emergency fund.” Additionally, his plan ensure racial equity. Biden acknowledges that the would provide resources for food relief and remote country is “seeing a national reckoning on racial justice student learning. He sides with “science, not fiction and and the tragic human costs of systemic racism.” In his fear,” and predicted in January 2020 “the outbreak of a plan to “Build Back Better by Advancing Racial Equity,” new coronavirus… [that would] get worse before it gets he outlines more than a dozen proposals to expand better.” Black, Brown, and Native families’ access to affordable Source: (Biden for President, accessed 8/5/20; USA Today, 1/27/20) housing, higher education, fair compensation, and clean energy.” According to Biden, “this election is not just Opening Schools/Return to Learning about voting against Donald Trump….It’s about rising to Joe Biden understands that schools need this moment of crisis, understanding people’s struggles resources now more than ever. “Americans deserve and building a future worthy of their courage and their a president who will ensure that reopening is as effective ambition to overcome.” and safe as possible.” In his “Plan for an Effective Source: (Biden for President, accessed 8/5/20; The New York Times, Reopening that Jumpstarts the Economy,” Biden assures 7/28/20) that his administration “would mobilize the federal government, in cooperation with educators, childcare Class Size providers, unions, communities, and families.” To safely Joe Biden supports smaller class sizes.