The panel that deals with disputes over Ohio’s elections has thrown out a complaint by the state’s two minor parties over being excluded from some statewide gubernatorial debates.
Ohio Public Radio's Jo Ingles reports.
The Ohio Elections Commission unanimously ruled that current law allows debate organizers to exclude minor parties. The Green and Libertarian parties had said organizers violated election law by giving the Republican and Democratic candidates for governor exclusive exposure unavailable to third party candidates. But the Ohio Elections Commission didn’t see debate inclusion as a charitable contribution to the major parties. The decision includes organizers such as the newly formed Ohio Debate Commission - Ohio Public Radio and TV is part of that group.
