Rep. Bryant Bailey Denounces the Passage of Republican-Backed Voter Suppression Bill
COLUMBUS — State Rep. Ashley Bryant Bailey (D-Cincinnati) today condemned Republican lawmakers for passing Senate Bill (SB) 293, a shameful, voter-suppressing measure designed to disenfranchise Ohioans and create unnecessary barriers to the ballot box. In a brazen attack on the fundamental right to vote, SB 293 aims to suppress voter turnout, throw out valid ballots, and undermine the integrity of Ohio’s elections.
“This bill is a direct assault on the rights of Ohio voters, and it’s nothing short of voter suppression at its worst. Republican lawmakers are more interested in rigging the system to hold onto power than ensuring that every eligible voter can participate in a free, fair, and accessible election,” said Rep. Bryant Bailey. “It’s clear that Republicans are trying to manipulate the rules because they fear what Ohio voters will do when they actually have their say. This isn’t about ‘election integrity.’ It’s about keeping power out of the hands of the people and consolidating it in the hands of a few. This bill doesn’t just hurt one party’s voters; it hurts everyday Ohioans—Democrats, Republicans, and Independents alike.”
The bill, rushed through the General Assembly and heavily amended just before committee yesterday, eliminated the current four-day grace period for absentee ballots, automatically discarding any mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day, even if they’re postmarked on time. This creates unnecessary barriers for voters who rely on absentee voting, including those who can’t physically make it to the polls. In 2024, nearly 1 million Ohioans voted by absentee mail-in ballot or drop box, and thousands would have not counted under this law. Additionally, the bill introduced vague procedures that could cancel voter registrations based on inaccurate or outdated information in government databases, leaving Ohioans vulnerable to being wrongfully disenfranchised.
Today, Rep. Bryant Bailey proposed an amendment on the House floor that would have prevented punishing a voter for a data error starting 90 days before an election. This would have aligned the bill with the National Voter Registration Act and would have given voters a reasonable chance to correct any errors before it was too late. However, Republicans swiftly shot down this common-sense amendment, further demonstrating their true intentions to create obstacles for voters rather than ensuring that elections are fair and accessible.
Rep. Bryant Bailey vows to continue fighting for Ohio voters and will not allow this attack on democracy to go unchallenged.