AKRON — Candidates for Ohio’s 31st House District faced off in a debate that put technology squarely at the center of the conversation, with Mike Kahoe and J. Noah Spinner trading sharp disagreements over automatic license plate readers and how the state should prepare children for artificial intelligence.
Spinner, an attorney, called Flock-style license plate readers “a clear violation of our Fourth Amendment and privacy rights across the board,” and said he supports legislation from state Rep. Tristan Rader, D-Cleveland, that would ban the cameras statewide. He argued the state is failing to fully fund police departments with better tools for going after violent offenders and tracking down missing persons. Kahoe said recent headlines about abuse of the technology are “very concerning,” while noting that law enforcement uses the cameras to catch dangerous criminals — but agreed that “there needs to be some serious guardrails around the technology.”
Both candidates agreed schools must teach children how to use AI tools while shielding them from the technology’s worst effects, though Spinner faulted state leadership for not tackling the issue head-on. The exchange highlighted a growing split in Ohio politics between public-safety technology advocates and privacy-first critics, as cities across the state debate whether Flock cameras are crime-fighting tools or mass surveillance.
The 31st District race is one of several closely watched Statehouse contests as Ohio voters begin casting early ballots. Early in-person voting runs October 6 through November 1, with Election Day set for November 3.
Voters in the district can view sample ballots at Ohio.gov and find their precinct through the Summit County Board of Elections. Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day.