Asking voters to go out and make sure they cast their ballots, former President Bill Clinton told the public why voting for Democrats would bring Ohio more jobs, better health care and better education during his speech in Canton Saturday.

Along with Clinton, Ted Strickland, Richard Cordray, Sherrod Brown and John Boccieri spoke at Tozzi’s to a crowd of about 1,000 people. Tim Ryan and Yvette Brown were also present.

Canton Mayor William Healy II, opened the rally asking the public to make sure they vote and said if all registered Democrats would vote, the election would be already won.

“This election is not about who we are going to vote for,” Healy said, “this election is about who is going to vote.” 

Running to keep his position as Attorney General, democrat candidate Richard Cordray said those who believe Republicans will be the only ones enthusiastic about Tuesday’s election might be wrong. 

“I’m asking for four more years, so we hold them accountable for what they (Republicans) did to Ohio,” Cordray said. “The choice we make in any election, and this is no different, is always a choice between going forward or turning back.”

Boccieri said electing Democrats this term would help the economy keep expanding, motivate businesses to develop locally, encourage jobs to stay in the U.S. and help people have access to health care. 

He talked about Timken, one of the largest employers in Stark County, and how the company was able to develop thousands of jobs locally. He also spoke about how after part of the health care plan was approved he learned of disabled children who now have access to health insurance for the first time in their lives.

Boccieri left earlier to meet his wife who had gone into labor while he spoke at the rally.

“Ohio is the heart of it all. And Ohio, when the votes are finally cast and fully counted after Nov. 2, Ohioans will send a message across this nation that Ohio is blue,” said gubernatorial candidate Ted Strickland. “And that we will not give out, we will not give up, we will not give in.”

Clinton, who was in his 120th campaign event said this election has been the most fact free he has ever seen, and that people should know about what Democrats have done for America, “I love Ohio. You know, I always come here and feel elevated. I just love this thing. Every community has something new, something interesting,” Clinton said. “But, the more I got out here, the more concerned I became because I read that young people were not going to vote, a lot of people who voted in 2008 are not going to vote, independents thought because they are more fiscally conservatives they ought to vote for the republicans, and this has been about the most fact free election I ever was in.”

Clinton said the most important thing the public could do after the rally is to make sure that they vote and tell people to vote.

“This is your life, this is the future of America,” Clinton said. 

Canton resident Debbie Young, who came specially to listen to Clinton speak said she is going to vote and tell people she knows to do the same.

“I heard really good things today,” Young said, “and I’m going to pass it on to my friends.”

Clinton, who first spoke in Boardman in the morning, went to Columbus after he left Canton.

Contact Mariana Silva at [email protected].