Last Chance to Vote Against God in Ohio August 1, 2011

Last Chance to Vote Against God in Ohio

By Hemant Mehta
August 1, 2011

For a while now, we’ve known about how Ohio’s Secretary of State Jon Husted is holding an online poll to select the “I voted” sticker that will be offered this November.

Two of those stickers feature the state’s motto “With God, All Things Are Possible.”

With only a week left until voting closes, one of those godly stickers has taken over the lead by a pretty large margin.

This is your last chance to put a stop to that.

How can you help out?

Go to ElectYourSticker. Then enter an Ohio zip code (like 44808). Vote for the “I nd place.

Keep us updated about the percentages in the comments! Let’s see if we can pull this off…

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What Are Your Thoughts?leave a comment
  • LS

    Are you seriously advocating that fraud is okay in the name of our cause?

    I’m not from Ohio. I certainly won’t pretend that I am to advance the atheist movement.

  • girlgenius

    I’m in FL, but I have relatives in Ohio so I just input their zip and voted. And no, I’m not above fraud in the name of thwarting the religious establishment (if anyone’s wondering). If this nonsense was going on in my state, I would love some interstate atheist help to counter it if I could get it.

    Not that it will matter. The numbers needed to bridge the gap between 1st & 3rd place looks daunting.

  • I agree, however strongly I feel about the combination of church and state on this topic, I would have to say that unless you live in Ohio it would be wrong to vote on this subject

  • 29 .9%  option 3 ,  40.8% option 2

  • Heisenberg

    This sort of fraud is totally justifiable in a situation like this. A little bit of harmless fraud to fight something this blatantly ridiculous should be morally acceptable. Plus think of the atheist ohio voters (me) who have to put up with this!

  • Heisenberg

    This sort of fraud is totally justifiable in a situation like this. A little bit of harmless fraud to fight something this blatantly ridiculous should be morally acceptable. Plus think of the atheist ohio voters (me) who have to put up with this!

  • This is a federal issue, not a local. It is against the constitution– no matter if it is local, regional, state, or national– to advocate God in anything affiliating with Government. Including voting. If this is a vote for a priest or pastor for some church, it would be different. It cost money to make those stickers and Atheist tax dollars are spent making those stickers. There needs to be effort to change the motto altogether.

  • Anonymous

    I’d hope the same help would be offered for my state.

    I voted, because the combination is wrong, regardless of the state. It has nothing to do with “like” or “don’t like”.

  • Andrew

    I think this is poor form, however small this issue is (and it’s dang small).  If we can’t play by the rules, shame on us for criticizing others when they don’t.

  • LS

    Even on the offchance that out-of-state assistance does make the difference, the odds are good that the officials in charge of the whole thing will notice what happened and simply ignore the out-of-state votes, or even just make their own decision.

    Additionally, odds are not bad that such an event would make (at the least) local Ohio news. Cue a bunch of religious folks who *might* have been sympathetic to Atheists now perceiving that Atheists are trying to come in and change a state they don’t even live in (despite the no doubt sizable number of Atheists who actually live in Ohio.)

    I don’t see that the benefits of doing this outweigh the probable issues it will cause for us. And that’s without even mentioning what it says about our movement’s sense of ethics.

  • Ran

    LS it isn’t fraud, it’s people-power. Religion is ridiculous superstition, like Santa and witches, but most people grow out of those by the time they reach puberty. Find out some facts, instead of immersing yourself in the stone-age book of nonsense.

    Oh and by the way, what about the millions of starving Christians in Africa? Is your god taking a few years off or what? You’re deluding yourself and it offends me.

  • LS

    I’m an atheist, dipshit. Note that I said “our” cause.

    Instead of viciously attacking people you think are Christians on the Internet, perhaps your time would be better spent improving your reading comprehension.

  • Ran

    “The Atheist movement” wtf?

    Atheists have come to their senses and we’re bashing our heads against your prejudice and stupidity. Wake up and read some science. It is not your enemy, it is what’s real and provable, based on evidence and experiment by people who know what they’re doing.

  • Anon2

    Not only do I approve of this “fraud” (an online poll, people–get some effing perspective), I’d advise people to choose a different code at random from http://www.mongabay.com/igapo/zip_codes/OH.htm to avoid getting all votes from 44808 disqualified.

  • Ran

    Sorry. You’re correct, I read it wrongly. My anger has abated!

  • Sesoron

    Lying to stop someone (a state — mine, as it happens) from breaking the law.  I know what my choice would be.  Shades of gray, folks!

  • From the web page, “In this particular election, you don’t have to be 18 to participate and you can vote as often as you like!”  So, I think they are expecting so-called fraud and they, in fact, seem to be encouraging it.

  • LS

    I had not read that paragraph, noting only that it was requested that you enter “your” Ohio state zip code.

    While I still feel the benefit does not outweight the potential fallout if this is picked up by the media, I could agree that it’s not an ethically wrong thing for us to do.

  • Tinker

    It’s an internet poll, if they wanted a statistically true poll they would not run it this way. Besides, the fact that one has now garnered 40 percent of the vote indicates to me that we have a counter-campaign going on.

  • There wasn’t anything LS said that was deserving of your random attack, whether LS turned out to be a Christian or not. So what the hell was that all about?

  • Anonymous

    I google-mapped a pizza place in Ohio to find the 43240 postal code.Currently:  <3 … 30.4% t    …  40.5%

  • Anonymous

    I’d say we’re playing by at least as many rules as the “online poll to justify God in state voting” players who are actually in power.

  • Anonymous

    We all have a tendency to jump on the rightous-persecution bandwagon at any chance. Not always a bad thing. I think that if you want to call yourself a skeptic, you give up all excuses to mindlessly join in.

    It is a sign that you are not critically considering the article when you lash out at someone who does no more than kill some of your buzz.

    I’ve done it too.

  • Anonymous

    We all have a tendency to jump on the rightous-persecution bandwagon at any chance. Not always a bad thing. I think that if you want to call yourself a skeptic, you give up all excuses to mindlessly join in.

    It is a sign that you are not critically considering the article when you lash out at someone who does no more than kill some of your buzz.

    I’ve done it too.

  • Anonymous

    anyone who thinks “morals” and “internet polling” go together are kidding themselves. internet polls, these days, are literally designed to be rigged towards the desired outcomes of those who create them. that’s why it’s an internet “poll” and not a real one. if the OH thugs and fundies wanted to fairly evaluate if OH wants a ‘godly’ sticker/plate/whatever, they’d’ve included the question on state tax returns. this was meant to be fudged. so freep it. two can play at that game.

  • Miss Coconut

    30.4%, second to 40.5%

  • Guest

    For your convenience: http://my-online-data.alwaysdata.net/random-ohio-zip.php

  • Alantas

    How about the rule of “no state endorsement of religion”?

  • Anonymous

    30.8 to 40.2

    Looks like the n is pretty big… we’ll need something pretty dramatic (and obvious?) to beat this.

  • Kb

    option 2: 40.1%

    option 3:  30.9%

  • Guest!

    The chances are slim…In order to suceed  everyone would have to continually vote all week…

  • Anonymous

    I do love voting, and if I were to have a favorite Ohio zip code, 44808 would be mine.  That, or Cedar Point 44870

  • Guest!

    option 2: 40%
    option 3: 31%

  • Ok, everyone who doesn’t want to commit fraud, could you vote on my behalf, I live in zip code 44224.  I don’t want God in my election booth…  So, moral quandary solved…

  • Drew M.

    Indeed. I’ve been swapping the zipcodes on my macro every few hundred iterations.

    (Thanks to Larry Meridith for the heads up on iMacros!)

  • Drew M.

    No purchase necessary, enter as often as you’d like, so I did.

    Anyone feel like watching Real Genius with me?

  • Charles Black

    To those who might be leaning towards voter fraud, think carefully about what you’re saying.
    Is it really worth stooping to the level of religious people to win political points?
    Surely there are better ways that don’t resort to fraud to achieve objectives.

  • Cbfleege

    I agree with the others.  That attack was completely unprovoked if LS was a Christian or an Atheist.  Your remarks were not even related to LS’s point.

    I also agree with LS that I don’t think people outside of the state should be voting on this.  It will instantly turn into a mess if people look into it and considering the atheist community isn’t liked already it will just be another bad press on us.  If it happens in this case I think we would be deserving of it honestly.

  • Anonymous

    It’s not fraud to vote multiple times, the site says we can vote as many times as we want. I live in Ohio so I welcome any help we can get on the “good” side. And I doubt it’s just Ohioans voting for the other sticker. This isn’t an important issue but it sure would be nice to have a symbolic win for the godless heathens!

  • Guest

    To any American who feels troubled about committing voter fraud or something, just ask your buddies living abroad to vote. I doubt the website checks the IP address. 

  • Anonymous

    Where is the one that says, “With Diebold All Things Are Possible”?

  • sienel

    It’s been interesting watching the numbers change – a few months ago Option #3 was ahead of #2 by 7-8 points. 

    Then an article appeared in a Columbus newspaper – and was subsequently reported on by Fox News – about how atheists were upset by the two god options, and Option #3 immediately started to lose ground. 

    Somehow I doubt that everyone voting for #2 is from Ohio…

    Current numbers:

    #2 (god option): 39.3%
    #3 (godless option): 32.4%

  • Anonymous

    It’s working! Down from about a 10 point spread to about 7 points… thanks everyone, let’s keep it going!!

  • Anonymous

    39% option 2 to 32.8% option 3 @ 22:55 EST ON 8/02/11

  • Anonymous

    I voted from Charleston, SC and I’ll vote early and often until the polls close. Payback for all those Ohio license plates clogging the roads and pasty Ohio bodies clogging the beach.

  • Anonymous

    lol  My pasty OH body goes to the Jersey shore

  • Jennifer Robinson

    Just voted.  Current standings are:  39% (faith), 32.9% for (reason)  – as another commenter worded it.  Ugh. 

  • MRK

    6% to go for a win!

  • Anonymous

    It’s working… #2 is down to 38.5 and #3 is up to 34.5 !!!   Thanks everyone, please hang in there, just a few more days until the cut off on 8/8.

  • sienel

    #2 = 38.2%
    #3 = 35.2%

    Aug 5, 12:05PM EST

  • Anonymous

    We seem to have accomplished what looked unlikely a week ago: currently the religious sticker #2 has 36.9% and the non-religious sticker #3 has 38.3%! Voting continues through tomorrow (Monday 8/8) so a reversal is still possible but hopefully we’ll maintain our lead and win this small but symbolic victory. Thanks to all of you who have been helping out with this!!!

  • redsilkdress

    Today is the last day for voting. The sticker without God on it is winning (38.5% to 37.2%.  But, the sticker with God has been narrowing the gap today.  Vote some more to ensure a god-less sticker.

  • Miller

    The I <3 Voting sticker is officially winning! 38.3% to 37.4%

  • redsilkdress

     Yes, the I3 sticker was winning 38.6% to 37%.  Be sure to keep voting to ensure a god-less sticker.  Today is the last day.