Voting rights advocates are still pushing back on a recently introduced House bill that would change and restrict election laws in Ohio. Republican backers of the measure say the changes are needed to improve election laws even though they say Ohio’s 2020 election was fraud-free. Statehouse correspondent Karen Kasler reports.
The Ohio Voter Rights Coalition says it’s concerned the bill limits ballot drop boxes to one per county and only for 10 days before the election, shortens the window to request absentee ballots by a week, requires what they call a confusing voter ID process and cuts in person early voting the day before the election. Kayla Griffin with All Voting Is Local says the bill will affect early voting turnout and access.
“What good is it to have a ticket to the party of democracy but get denied access to the door?”
The group says it likes some parts of the bill, such as it allows 17 year olds to be poll workers and for electronic bank statements and utility bills to be used as voter ID, among other things. But the advocates also say they’re watching for a bill with more restrictions that could be coming from the Ohio Senate.
