Thank you, Chair Ray and members of the House General Government Committee, for the opportunity to provide opponent testimony to Senate Bill 293. My name is Collin Marozzi, and I serve as the Advocacy Director of the ACLU of Ohio.
In the November 2025 general election¹, the Medina County Board of Elections received and counted 57 ballots during the 4-day post-Election Day window. The Wadsworth City Council Ward 4 race was decided by 9 votes. The Wadsworth Ward 3 election was decided by 5 votes. The Liverpool Township police levy lost by a 9-vote margin.
In Morrow County, 21 ballots were accepted during the 4-day postElection Day window. The Harmony Township fire levy won by 10 votes.
45 ballots were received and counted during this period in Licking County. 3 Candidates for Licking Township trustee were separated by 14 votes.
In Perry County, 8 ballots were received and counted. The Village of Junction City’s police levy was decided by 2 votes.
In Stark County, 275 ballots were received and counted. The City of Alliance Ward 3 race was decided by 48 votes. A Minerva Local School Board election was decided by 17 votes.
By stating these numbers, I hope to convince the members of this committee how consequential of a change SB 293 is. Lawful voters casting lawful ballots by a lawful method should not be punished for something completely out of their control – mail delivery times. Over 7,000 ballots were received and counted over the 4-day post-Election Day window in November 2025, and over 4,000 ballots were for the May 2025 primary. These voters are, by definition, the most knowledgeable, engaged, and reliable voters in the state, and they still would have their ballots thrown out should SB 293 become law.
SB 293 does nothing to make our elections more secure. It does nothing to give voters more “clarity” on the ballot receipt deadline. It does not bring us into compliance with any federal law. All SB 293 does is force our dedicated local election officials to throw otherwise valid ballots in the trash can.
If Ohio was serious about making absentee balloting more timely, we should increase the number of drop boxes, make absentee ballot requests available online, allow for a permanent absentee ballot list and more. There are more, and better, answers to this question than SB 293.
Thank you, and I’m happy to answer any questions
¹Ohio Absentee and Early Voting Data: https://www.ohiosos.gov/elections/voters/ohio-absentee-data/