Rep. Adam Miller introduces bill to prevent voter suppression and intimidation

COLUMBUS—Adam C. Miller (Columbus) today announced the introduction of legislation that calls for cracking down on intentional, overt acts that are aimed solely at keeping people from voting.  Under Ohio law, it is not a crime to intentionally mislead, intimidate, or coerce someone as to where, when, or how to vote. The legislation comes on the tails of reports of unauthorized groups and individuals being called to “monitor” the upcoming election across the country.

“In Ohio, we spend more time protecting the right to own a gun than to vote,” said Rep. Miller. “I understand politicking and engaging in political spin, but when you intentionally act to keep someone from voting, you’ve crossed the line.  Voting is a right – plain and simple.  This bill protects all Ohioans from all political parties and walks of life.”

The bill broadens current Ohio voter protection law to include intentional acts aimed at:

• Intimidating;
• Threatening;
• Coercing;
• Attempting to intimidate, threaten, or coerce, any other person from voting.

Current Ohio voter protection laws protect ballots, not people, and only prohibit:

• Loitering in or around a polling place during the casting and counting of ballots so as to hinder, delay, or interfere with the conduct of the election;
• Attempting to intimidate an election officer, or preventing an election official from performing the official's duties;
• Knowingly tearing down, removing, or destroying any of the registration lists or sample ballots furnished by the board of elections at the polling place;
• Removing from the voting place the pencils, cards of instruction, supplies, or other methods furnished to enable the voter to mark the voter's ballot.