COLUMBUS – Democratic lawmakers in the Ohio House want the Republican Secretary of State to help them stop an attempt to move the date for Ohio’s 2020 primary to St. Patrick’s Day. But, Frank LaRose is not going to drop everything to lend a hand.
A letter bearing the signatures of 24 House Democrats has been sent to LaRose, asking him to provide information on the impact of moving the state’s 2020 presidential primary from March 10 to March 17, a change they call “rushed and possible reckless” in the letter.
The recommendation is contained in the two-year state budget which currently is being finalized by members of a House-Senate conference committee and still hasn’t been approved.
The Democrats say statewide St. Patrick’s Day celebrations – breakfasts, lunches, parades and other event – will disrupt the voting process but LaRose countered in a letter of his own that he believes the states county boards of elections will be able to conduct “safe, fair and accessible” elections.
“We know our constituents want to do their civic duty and vote, but they should not be forced to sacrifice their traditions with friends and family because of an ill-conceived change to the election calendar. Nor should those who don’t celebrate be blocked from their polling places by festivities that may close roads and polling places.” –letter from Ohio House Democrats to Secy. of State Frank LaRose.
In addition to voters who may busy or prevented from getting to polling place, the Democrats say people who otherwise would have been poll workers may have a commitments to social functions and buildings that serve as polling places may have events planned for the day.
The lawmakers are asking LaRose to tell them how many polling locations or poll workers will be unavailable due to the holiday, how many polling locations will be difficult or impossible to reach due to street closures and the number of parking places lost.
They also want to know what the impact of street closings and parking restrictions on early voting.
In his letter, LaRose points out that Illinois, Arizona and Florida have also scheduled their primary elections for March 17 and that the legislators should contact the state’s 88 individual boards of elections to determine the logistical impact of the holiday on voting in their counties.
The Columbus festivities include a downtown parade and Irish Family Reunion, Dublin celebrates with a massive festival, as well as a and parade and breakfast, and Cleveland tourism officials say the holiday parade there is one of the nation’s largest.