Issue 4

It’s not every day that you come across an issue that unites the Cincinnati AFL-CIO Labor Council and the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber.

Nor are there many issues on which the two Democratic candidates for Cincinnati mayor, John Cranley and Roxanne Qualls, agree.

But Issue 4, the tea party-backed charter amendment that will be on the Nov. 5 ballot, is one of them.  

The only relatively close ballot issue in Hamilton County in the Nov. 6 election - Issue 4, which sets Cincinnati city council terms at four years instead of two - picked up votes in the official vote count released this morning and passed easily.

President Obama, too, picked up votes and widened his lead over Republican Mitt Romney in Hamilton County.

When all the provisional ballots and overseas and military ballots were added, Issue 4 passed with 51.4 percent of the vote. The unofficial election night total had the issue passing with 51 percent.

Tuesday is the day Ohio's 88 county boards of elections must report their final official results from the Nov. 6 election to Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted.

In Hamilton County, that official count will include 13,771 provisional ballots cast on election that were deemed valid by the board of elections last week.

Those votes could have an impact on one ballot issue that was passed by a fairly narrow margin on election day - Issue 4, which would set four-year terms for Cincinnati City Council members.

People who supported longer terms for Cincinnati Council Members are celebrating.  

City voters narrowly approved a charter amendment Tuesday to change the Council term to four-years instead of the current two.  

Campaign co-chair Mike Allen said he's not concerned the issue only passed by a little more than two-thousand votes.

Cincinnati voters Tuesday narrowly approved a charter amendment that will change city council members

terms in office from the current two-years to four.

Cincinnati residents will vote next week on a charter amendment that would allow city council members to serve four-year terms instead of the current two.  

Both sides have been debating the issue since a council majority placed it on the ballot in August.  

The group Citizens for Common Sense is urging a “yes” vote and held a press conference Tuesday.  

Business owner and philanthropist Otto Budig supports longer-terms.