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Image for Newark concert aims to turn voter organizing into a community gathering - The Reporting Project

Newark concert aims to turn voter organizing into a community gathering - The Reporting Project

The Reporting Project - Covering Licking County, Ohio · July 7, 2026

The Reporting Project – Covering Licking County, Ohio

A political event planned for July 12 at the Newark Canal Market District Pavilion is expected to look more like a summer festival than a traditional campaign gathering.

The event is part of Common Good Coalition PAC’s “Flip the 12th” Summer Tour, a series of concerts and community gatherings across Ohio’s 12th Congressional District. Organizers say the goal is to increase voter turnout, connect residents with candidates and local initiatives, and create a more welcoming way for people to get involved in politics.

The Newark event is scheduled from noon to 6 p.m. and is expected to include live music, food trucks and opportunities to meet candidates and organizers. The music lineup includes The Weasels, Quirky Feel-Good Horror, Dirigibles and The Stranger Said, according to event information posted by Common Good Coalition.

Jodi Melfi, a Licking County organizer involved with the effort, said the events were inspired by a desire to …