COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – This week on The Spectrum:

• Early voting is underway for the Aug. 8 special election, with voters deciding whether or not to make it more difficult to amend the Ohio constitution.

“This is about protecting their freedoms, protecting their ability to hold corrupt politicians accountable, and making sure they get to keep their voice in state government and Ohioans are smart,” Ohio Democratic Party Chairperson Elizabeth Walters said.

“The foundational document of this state is our constitution,” Ohio Republican Party Chairperson Alex Trianfafilou said. “It shouldn’t be easy to amend and we ought to have widespread support.”

What both sides of the aisle are doing to make sure voters get to the polls.

• Changes to state law have created confusion for voters requesting absentee ballots.

“We’ve been 100 percent consistent about this and it’s not surprising that, sometimes, people play politics,” Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said.

What LaRose is doing to make sure Ohioans can make their voices heard plus the big announcement he said is coming next week.

• A long-time public servant is working to save children from becoming victims of gun violence.

“You can’t get it out of your head,” Columbus City Councilmember Mitchell Brown said. “Once you see a child shot, it stays with you forever.”

Brown’s program seeks to ensure every gun owner in Columbus has the ability to lock their firearms away.

• Issue 1 is dividing the political parties and, some say, confusing voters. At the all-star roundtable, Republican strategist Will Hinman and Democratic strategist Brian Rothenberg discuss the ballot issue and also tackle a likely U.S. Senate run by Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose.