Ohio Voter Rights Coalition Rebukes Signing of Senate Bill 293

COLUMBUS, OH - Today, Governor Mike DeWine signed Senate Bill 293, the harmful anti-voter legislation that will eliminate the post-election window to accept legally cast ballots mailed before election day. The bill was also amended at the last minute to add an array of unfunded, unnecessary provisions, such as redundant documentation production and reliance on incomplete and inaccurate federal data that will drastically increase the number of provisional ballots, purge eligible voters from the rolls, and place an additional heavy burden on elections officials.

By signing this bill into law, Governor DeWine has erected yet another barrier for eligible voters to cast a ballot and have their votes counted, as well as enacted another unnecessary, unfunded mandate for county boards of elections. Hundreds of thousands of Ohio voters rely on vote-by-mail, especially elderly voters, rural voters, voters with disabilities or mobility issues, and voters with limited transportation. Instead of making Ohio’s elections more reliable for eligible voters to freely and fairly participate in our democratic processes, Ohio’s leaders have decided they would rather continue to punish voters and leave valid ballots uncounted due to delays by the U.S. Postal Service.

The Ohio Voter Rights Coalition rebukes the signing of this anti-democratic bill, which is a significant step backward for our election system and will harm many Ohio voters. While SB 293 moves Ohio elections in the wrong direction, we remain committed to advocating for free and fair elections for all Ohioans.

The Ohio Voter Rights Coalition is a nonpartisan partnership of voter advocates dedicated to ensuring that our elections are modern, secure and accessible to all Ohioans. We strongly believe that when we all have access to the ballot and make our voices heard, we create a democracy that is more just, equitable, inclusive, and reflective of the values we want to see in the world. The coalition’s steering committee includes ACLU Ohio, All Voting is Local, Common Cause Ohio, the League of Women Voters of Ohio, and Ohio Voice.