UPDATED at 1:44 AM:

 

Ohio's Issue 1, 2 and 3 were all passed by voters.  Issue 3's passage marks the first-ever Ohio voter approval of an issue allowing casinos in the state.

 

With nearly all of the vote in, these results are from the Associated Press:

 

Amendment 1-Veterans Bonuses

10,303 of 10,317 precincts - 99 percent

x-Yes, 2,173,634 - 72 percent
No, 839,220 - 28 percent

Amendment 2-Livestock Regulations

10,303 of 10,317 precincts - 99 percent

x-Yes, 1,931,368 - 64 percent
No, 1,098,162 - 36 percent

Amendment 3-Permission for Casinos

10,303 of 10,317 precincts - 99 percent

x-Yes, 1,639,407 - 53 percent
No, 1,450,903 - 47 percent

 

State Issue 1 looks to compensate Persian Gulf, Iraq & Afghanistan war veterans by issuing $200 million in bonds to roughly 200,000 heroes.

Both sides of Issue 2 issued statements with their reactions to the results.

 

 

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio (Nov. 3, 2009) "“ Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Robert Boggs today issued a statement regarding the passage of Ohio's Issue 2 ballot initiative.

"With the passage of Issue 2, Ohioans have proven their support of keeping the state's number one industry"”food and agriculture"”vibrant and strong. The Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board will serve Ohio's citizens in a way that will be transparent and open. Ohioans who desire to have their voices heard will have an opportunity to do so during this public process.

"The diverse group of experts serving on this board, together with Ohio's citizens, will work to create a fair, uniform set of standards that ensure the safe and humane treatment of the state's livestock and poultry, therefore sustaining the viability of Ohio's family farmers and assuring safe, affordable food for all citizens.

"I look forward to serving Ohioans in my new role as chairman of the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board."

Statement from "Ohio ACT", Ohio Against Constitutional Takeover (against Issue 2):

 

Factory Farms Write Business Model into State Constitution
"We will be watching"

Columbus, Ohio - Issue 2, the brainchild of corporate agribusiness, passed today. Issue 2 backers spent at least 40 times more than their opposition, a coalition of farmer, consumer and environmental organizations known as Ohio ACT (Ohio Against Constitutional Takeover).

Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director of Food & Water Watch, stated, "The whole country is now watching Ohio to see what the new Livestock Care Standards Board will do with its power. Food & Water Watch, and its Ohio ACT allies, will closely moitor this board, redoubling our efforts to get the state legislature and governor to rein in large corporate agribusiness."

Warren Taylor, owner of Snowville Creamery, summed up the vote saying, "This loss shows that a multi-million dollar greenwashing campaign can buy a place in the Ohio Constitution. I fear for the future of small, sustainable, family farms."

Joe Logan, Director of Agricultural Programs for the Ohio Environmental Council, agreed saying, "Ohioans allowed corporate agribusiness to amend our constitution with an unaccountable unchecked layer of bureaucracy. Farmers and consumers will face increased challenges in addressing agricultural issues that affect small farms, sustainable food production and our environment."