COLUMBUS – The Ohio House has sent to the Senate a measure that outlines how the state should carry out the November general election, but which minority Democrats say creates “chaos and confusion.”
Under the bill, office of Secretary of State Frank La Rose will be able to mail unsolicited absentee ballot applications to registered voters and sets the deadline for voters to request mail-in ballots at seven days before the election, three days shorter than in the original proposal.
La Rose, who opposed the original version of the bill, voiced his support for the version approved by the House (see video).
Democrats say the legislation does little to prepare for the presidential election amid a pandemic.
“This anti-voter bill spells chaos for the November election and takes none of the lessons learned from the disastrous 2020 primary election into account,” said Assistant Minority Whip Richard D. Brown (D-Canal Winchester).
Language creating a contingency plan for an all-mail election in the case of a health emergency was removed from the bill, which bars state health director Dr. Amy Acton, or any other official, from altering how the election is carried out.
Acton’s directive against large gatherings in March shut down polling places days before the primary election, which was finally carried out as a mostly mail-in election.
Among other things, the bill extends the absentee request deadline, allocates federal funding for safety equipment for poll workers and to recruit and train new workers.