The verdict is in: Ohio sucks! Ohio's Issue 1, an amendment to the Ohio constitution which would prohibit gays from getting married and prevent the state or any other state institution (like a public university or municipality) from conferring marriage-like rights on gay or unmarried couples:

Only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this state and its political subdivisions. This state and its political subdivisions shall not create or recognize a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance or effect of marriage.

Issue 1 passed by a frightening majority. CNN reports its passage at 3,242,160 (62%) to 2,010,876 (38%). Bob Novak was correct when he said on CNN last night, "America is a conservative country." We have been since 1994, when the mid-term elections caused a giant upset as Congressional seats switched sides, state governments were overthrown, and Newt Gingrich thought he had a mandate to set things on fire (remember the Contract With America?). Expect an exodus of intelligent people out of Ohio.

And of all the places in Ohio to find some decency -- Cincinnati? Yes, The Cincinnati Post reports that voters overwhelmingly chose to repeal Article XII, a provision of the Cincinnati city charter which explicitly allows discrimination based on sexual orientation.

And what of the election? As of this writing, Ohio has become the next Florida, with Bush in the lead there by 136,221 votes. The controversy in Ohio stems from the ingenious "provisional ballots" that have yet to be counted. (If a person in Ohio was denied the right to vote when he showed up at his polling place, he could fill out a provisional ballot which would be counted if further research showed that he did have the right to vote.) Ohio state law gives precincts eleven days to count provisional ballots, so we could be here for a while. Fortunately, the issue here is a matter of time and not legitimacy as in 2000. (And, thankfully, Nader was tossed off the ballot in Ohio.)

Nationwide, CNN reports that Bush has 58,301,702 votes to Kerry's 54,784,298 votes. Bush has 254 electoral votes, while Kerry has 252. Iowa, New Mexico, and Ohio are still up in the air. In Iowa, Bush has the lead by 15,625 votes; in New Mexico, Bush is ahead by 11,620 votes; and of course, in Ohio, Bush is ahead by 136,221 votes. Here's what could happen: if Bush wins Ohio, that will give him 274 electoral votes and the win. If Kerry wins Ohio, that will give him 272 electoral votes and the win. Ohio is key here, and it looks like it will be going to Bush.

FOXNews has a different projection. They have Bush at 269 votes and Kerry at 242 votes, having already called Ohio for Bush. If Kerry wins all the "too close to call" states, that will give him 27 electoral votes, and the score will be tied 269 to 269. In that instance, the House of Representatives will decide who the new president is once they reconvene in January. The House has a Republican majority, so Bush will win the election there (is there any doubt now that the electoral college is a bad idea?).

Any way you count it, only a miracle will give Kerry the win. In the meantime, Ohio is returning to the nineteenth century. Mark my words: Issue 1 will hurt Ohio businesses as young, hip, intelligent, and tech-enabled people decide to move somewhere more progressive, turning Ohio into more of a backwoods swamp.