God Won’t Be Appearing on Ohio Voting Stickers

You did it!

When Jon Husted, the Ohio Secretary of State, held an online poll to decide which “I voted” sticker would be given out to voters this November, there were two options (out of six) which unnecessarily mentioned God. This was the one receiving the bulk of the Christian votes:

So we rallied. Then rallied again. And again.

The lead went back and forth between that God sticker and one of the alternatives, but slowly, the God sticker’s lead dwindled over the last couple days… until we took a slight lead… and, dammit, I’m declaring this an atheist victory! (I don’t care that you think this isn’t a big deal. We’ll take what we can get.)

Here’s the new “I voted” sticker:

Turns out it was a close one… we won by under 1% of the total vote. The image below shows the results of the three stickers receiving the most votes (the two on the left are the “Godly” ones):

Obviously, not only Christians and atheists voted, and not everyone in one label voted for one particular sticker… but, if I can generalize, it looks like the fact that there were two God stickers worked to our advantage. Had Christians banded together and voted for just one of the God stickers, they probably would have won. Instead, they split their votes and we came out on top.

Divide and conquer! Good teamwork, heathens 🙂

(via Inside the Atheists Studio)

Heidi McClure

There’s a lesson here. Divide the fundie vote.
Anonymous

I’m not in Ohio, but yaaay!
Anonymous

I think that is key… so while I detest the Tea Party, as long as they stay active, we have a chance to split votes between them and the GOP.
Anonymous

Very nicely done… I’m not in Ohio, but Hubby was born and raised in Cleveland, so this is a coup from our POV.
Rob

“I’m declaring this an atheist victory!”

No way, this is a secular victory.
Larry Meredith

No, it’s an atheist victory! Just like empty walls are atheist walls!
Jude

I voted twice. I once mentioned on a listserv that I subscribe by email to Concerned Women of America updates, a disgustingly conservative organization and that sometimes I used their polls and email spam lists to promote causes opposed to theirs. Someone asked me, “Do you consider that ethical?” I said, “Yes.” This falls in the same category. Pharyngulating polls and changing votes in our favor–well, hey, we all do it.
Anonymous

The sad part is that “With God, all things are possible.” is still the State Motto of Ohio. You probably won’t be surprised to learn when it was made the State Motto. 1959. Around the time when Christians started aggressively inserting theistic slogans at all levels of government. “In God we trust” was made that official motto of the United States in 1956 and “under God” was added to the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954.
Matto the Hun

I think it is a big deal and I’m glad it wen the right way.

The dominionists are out to shove their God on anything and everything. Many of the non-dominionist Christians are indifferent enough and/or comfortable enough in their position of Christian privilege that they don’t (or won’t) see the problem with this sort of thing. Just like our money or the pledge, once this shit gets on there it becomes almost impossible to take off.

So yeah, for a group that holds almost no ground to begin with, I say any ground we take is a big win for atheism and secularism.
Matto the Hun

It’s both the way I see it.

Just like my empty shoes are atheist shoes, until I put my feet in them. Then they become smelly shoes.
Ryan Rimmele

I currently live in Ohio, and I call this a victory not only for secularism but also from a design stand point. The “Godly” stickers are just ugly. When I vote next I’ll be proud to wear the chosen sticker based on the simple fact that it doesn’t make me want to gag.
Rob

Indeed. I feel that calling it an “atheist victory” doesn’t do it full justice, as this is a good thing for everyone, not just atheists.
Yvonne

awesome! I voted a lot. =)
Anonymous

Perhaps it is neither an atheist nor a secular victory, but a reaffirmation of and as such a victory for the Constitution.
Anonymous

Careful, they may call for a recount!
Eskomo

In Minnesota, for sure.
Nick

And hope they don’t change to any sort of preferential voting. 😛
Stephan Goodwin

I’m glad I won’t have to deny my voting sticker when next I vote, that’s for sure.
Stephan Goodwin

The directions on the voting website specifically told you to vote every day and to get your friends to vote…they were literally asking for Pharyngulation.
Anonymous

Umm, actually Hemant your assertion is a little misleading.

“Had Christians banded together and voted for just one of the God stickers, they probably would have won.”

Since both of the “God” stickers got 48.2% of the total vote, that means that the “non-God” stickers for 51.8% of the total vote. So one could argue if there was 1 less “non-God sticker, it wouldn’t have even been close.”

Since there were 6 total sticker proposals, it is a little misleading to talk about the elimination of 1 and what effect that would have had.
Daniel Sandoval

Makes me want to pay attention to the Florida “I voted” sticker next election.
Anonymous

The Constitution says that we should keep religion away from government, yet when that happens (as it legally should), you guys call it a victory. It’s quite sad indeed.
But I voted too; glad my votes went for a good cause.
Suburban Sweetheart

I’m a Jewish Ohioan who found out about this by reading Friendly Atheist & spread the word to encourage my fellow Ohioans to vote against the God sticker with me. So glad the outcome was in our favor. Thanks, Hemant!