COLUMBUS, Ohio – Civil-rights groups caution that Ohio’s new plan to address the state’s postponed primary could deprive people of their right to vote.
To reduce the spread of the coronavirus, Gov. Mike DeWine closed the polls for the state’s March 17 primary. House Bill 197 was passed by the Legislature this week, extending mail voting for the primary to April 28.
Mike Brickner, state director with All Voting is Local Ohio, says it’s too tight of a timeline for voters to request an absentee ballot and send it back to boards of elections.
“Systems are not operating in an optimal way,” says Brickner. “Printers and mail houses and the United States Postal Service are all also reeling from COVID-19. Will there be other delays? Boards of Elections are also not operating optimally. Many have closed or are operating on very skeleton staffs.”
Brickner and other election watchdog organizations contend the primary date should be set for no earlier than mid-May, with the voter registration deadline extended to 30 days prior as required by law.
Prentiss Haney, executive director of the Ohio Student Association, contends that more time and resources are needed to ensure every voter participate, especially college students forced off campus by new coronavirus concerns.
“It’s going to be about printers and postage, but also about knowledge and information about the process,” says Haney. “Many of our students are first-time voters, are 18 years old. They’re just coming to the electorate, and for the ones who are engaged and want to be a part of this, many of them plan to vote in person.”
Ohio A. Philip Randolph Institute president Andre Washington agrees that there are many people who prefer casting a ballot at the polls on Election Day.
“My grandmother used to get up, put her Sunday hat on, put her dress on, and get all dolled up, and she would go and she voted in person because that is what she was taught to do,” says Washington. “So we don’t want to disenfranchise people. We want to protect the integrity of voting.”
Legislators rejected a plan proposed by Secretary of State Frank LaRose to set an in-person primary date of June 2, send absentee ballots to all Ohioans who have not yet voted in the primary and return ballot requests with pre-paid postage.
LaRose called the Legislature’s plan disappointing, but noted he will do what it takes to ensure all Ohio voters can safely cast a ballot.
This article appears in Mar 25-31, 2020.
Until May??? Seriously!!! Why not just extend it all the way out to next November!!!
Voters have had since mid February to vote by absentee ballot. If they hadn’t done so by this point, I guess it’s too bad, and they probably didn’t have the need to vote anyway!!!
If you still have the chance though, be sure to VOTE NO on the upcoming ma$$ive property tax levy increase AND renewal that’s on the ballot for the executives over at Metrohealth courtesy of thief Budish!!!
there should be an addendum on the ballot to RECALL Chicken Little DeWine, as 4 other states still voted that St. Patrick’s Day…. Ohio still had no deaths up til then, total Republican Cheating tactics, the SOONER this is decided the better…..
How about a recall of thief Budish and Taxin Jackson instead??? If you think our taxes are outrageously high now, just wait until this mess is over and they have to come after the homeowner and workers yet again for millions and millions of more handouts!!!