Why a Republican bill would make it harder to vote in Ohios November election: This Week in the CLE – cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Why are Republicans trying to cut opportunities to vote in the November election?

Were discussing how the House has a swift set of hearings scheduled for a bill that would make it harder to cast a ballot, on This Week in the CLE.

Listen online here.

Editor Chris Quinn hosts our daily half-hour coronavirus news podcast, with help from editors Jane Kahoun, Kris Wernowsky and me. We answer many of the questions youve sent through our text message platform.

Youve been sending Chris lots of thoughts and suggestions on our from-the-newsroom account, in which he shares once or twice a day what were thinking about at cleveland.com. You can sign up for free by sending a text to 216-868-4802.

And youve been offering all sorts of great perspective in our coronavirus alert account, which has 13,000-plus subscribers. You can sign up for free by texting 216-279-7784.

Here are the questions were answering today:

1. Will Ohio Governor reopen schools this fall? Gov. Mike DeWine intends to open schools in the fall to students across the state, though school districts will make the call about the start date for students, as well as for how to keep students and staff safe.

2. Whats the latest on the Cleveland curfew following Saturdays downtown riot and looting? Mayor Frank Jackson has extended the civil emergency proclamation restricting access to downtown Cleveland and parts of Ohio City through Wednesday morning, and will prohibit overnight access through Friday morning.

3. What do downtown business owners say they think the future is for downtown Cleveland? Theyre bullish, saying the damage from riots Saturday is temporary, but that the change in behavior because of the coronavirus is a steeper, longer-lasting challenge as downtown office workers continue to stay home.

4. What are Republicans in Columbus rushing to do to reduce our opportunities for voting in the November presidential election in Ohio? A House elections bill would make this years presidential election the first since 2008 without mailing unsolicited absentee ballot applications to all registered voters -- and would eliminate in-person early voting on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday before the election.

5. How long before we see any kind of surge in coronavirus infections because of the thousands of people who gathered in downtown Cleveland Saturday for a protest that evolved into a riot? If the protests spike coronavirus cases, deaths will likely show up in late June or early July, because of the incubation period of the virus and the time it takes for severe symptoms to develop.

6. Where are all the state troopers? The Ohio State Highway Patrol is being deployed to Cincinnati, Cleveland and other cities where protests are being held to set up roadblocks, as well as protect the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus from vandalism.

7. What did Ohios two senators have to say about President Donald Trump handling of protests and the use of tear gas on peaceful protesters in Washington so the president could have a photo op holding a Bible at a church? Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown on Tuesday excoriated President Donald Trumps actions, while Republican Sen. Rob Portman said Trump can and should do more to bring our country together right now.

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Why a Republican bill would make it harder to vote in Ohios November election: This Week in the CLE - cleveland.com