3 Statewide Issues In Ohio Show Early Leads

By JULIE CARR SMYTH
AP Statehouse Correspondent

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Three statewide issues are showing early signs of success, including a controversial plan to add casinos in four Ohio cities.

Early returns Tuesday have the casino proposal with 61 percent of the vote. It's the fifth attempt in 20 years to open the state to some new form of gambling, this time with casinos in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo.

All previous gambling issues failed.

Also ahead with 67 percent of the vote in early returns is a proposal to create a new board that oversees livestock care in the state.

Issue 1, which would pay bonuses of up to $1,000 to war veterans who served in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and Iraq, is also leading with 73 percent of the vote.

Voting was going smoothly statewide except for a glitch in Summit County, which includes Akron. The county ran out of ballots around 5 p.m. and had to turn some voters away.

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