Today is the deadline to register to vote in this year's elections on Nov. 3. Find details on the Hamilton County Board of Elections web site. 

Here are voter registration contacts for other local counties:

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Sparked by festering resentment over several recent votes, some Democratic Party precinct executives are mulling whether to call for a special meeting to try to rescind the party’s endorsement of Cincinnati City Councilman Jeff Berding.

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CityBeat has been trying to confirm the hottest rumor swirling in political circles since last Thursday, but the information was already the talk of the town at today's annual AFL-CIO Labor Day Picnic at Coney Island: Local union leaders have rescinded their endorsement of Cincinnati City Councilman Jeff Berding, a Democratic incumbent.

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Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory’s response to the controversy over telephone calls made by a city councilwoman during a police traffic stop is drawing fire from local Republicans.

Dr. Brad Wenstrup, the Republican candidate for mayor this fall, issued a press release calling Mallory’s comments “reprehensible.” His comments follow reaction from Hamilton County Republican Party Chairman Alex Triantafilou, who called the mayor’s remarks “disappointing."

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Salon.com’s always excellent War Room blog doesn’t think much of Ken Blackwell’s bid to become the Republican National Committee’s next chairman.

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CityBeat’s continuing coverage of non-incumbent candidates for Cincinnati City Council today features a question about the city manager’s position.

We asked the candidates, “Do you believe the city manager’s position should be abolished in favor of giving executive authority to the mayor, as has been suggested in the past?”

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A tri-partisan mix of Cincinnati City Council members are once again reaching across party lines to hold a joint fundraiser — and bragging quite a bit while doing it.

Democrat Jeff Berding, Republican Leslie Ghiz and Charterite Chris Bortz are holding a campaign fundraiser together on Oct. 7. The trio also held a joint fundraiser in 2007 and often receives campaigning advice from Jeff Cramerding, executive director of the Charter Committee, Cincinnati’s de facto third political party.

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He might not have won in November’s Cincinnati City Council elections, but Kevin Flynn has scored a victory elsewhere.

Flynn, who ran unsuccessfully as a Charterite in the 2009 and 2011 council elections, has been selected as the president of the group that endorsed him. The Charter Committee of Greater Cincinnati announced today that Flynn has been elected president of the organization, taking over for Dawn Denno, who didn’t seek reelection.

Flynn is a real-estate attorney from Mount Airy who also teaches at the University of Cincinnati's law school. He has been confined to a wheelchair since a serious automobile accident in 2002.

During his first campaign in 2009 Flynn placed 13th among 19 candidates in council elections. The top nine vote-getters are elected to the group.

Last year Flynn finished in 11th place — ahead of three incumbents who lost reelection — among 22 candidates.

Flynn is excited about the new position.

“When we see the high level of partisan politics in our national and state governments, I appreciate the independent, creative leadership Charter fosters in our city,” he said in a prepared statement. “The Charter Committee will continue to focus on bringing the best governance to Cincinnati, including thoughtful changes to the city’s Charter, and to support a budget and budget process which serves the best interests of the citizens of Cincinnati.”

Formed in 1924, the Charter Committee helped end the corrupt political machine operated by “Boss” George Cox, a Republican who dominated City Hall and local politics, arranging tasks like fixing tax rates for friends and contributors.

Charter successfully pushed to create the city manager form of government, which was designed to depoliticize the daily administrative tasks of municipal government.

Amelia Mayor Leroy Ellington can take a breath and relax. For a little while, at least.

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