Democratic lawmakers blast Republican attack on freedom to vote

Members of the Ohio House Democratic Caucus elections and voting rights working group today responded to pending Republican legislation that would force people to provide two forms of Voter ID, reduce the number of days of early voting, shorten mail ballot access by a week and restrict ballot drop boxes.

Republicans across the country have introduced over 300 restrictive voting measures this year, including in Georgia, which continues to make national headlines for its new, extreme restrictions on the right to vote.

Here is what they are saying:

“In the name of safety and security, this so called election reform bill is another attempt to chill the vote of working Ohioans. It will not bring security, but will sow elements of confusion, chaos and make it hard for Ohioans to vote. If we want to improve our voting system, let’s have that conversation, but more Voter ID, fewer days to vote early and cutting mail ballot access by a week is a major step backward and should be a nonstarter for anyone who is serious about safe and accessible elections.” –Minority Whip Rep. Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo)

“Our democracy should work for all of us, and that begins with the right to vote. This GOP proposal threatens that right, jeopardizing free and fair elections in Ohio—two forms of voter ID, fewer days to vote early in person and only one drop box location in my county of over 1 million people. And that’s just the beginning. This is a repackaged version of the egregious attack on voting rights we saw in Georgia, a deliberate attempt to create chaos, confusion and limit the voices of Ohio voters. This bill would take us in the wrong direction.” –Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Cleveland).

“All of a sudden, we’re supposed to believe the Republicans who rigged the maps, tried to make it harder for Black people and college kids to vote, and threw millions of voters off the rolls have the best intentions to expand voting rights? I don’t believe it for a second. And neither should you.” –Rep. Catherine Ingram (D-Cincinnati)

“Wrap it up and put all the bows you want on it, but facts are facts. This is an unwarranted rollback of our voting rights that will make it hard to vote, create chaos and confusion and make Ohio a national leader in suppressing our most fundamental freedom. These are the same attacks we saw in Georgia and are seeing across the country. Instead of putting in the work to appeal to voters, Republicans are trying to rig the system. That’s not how democracy is supposed to work.” –Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan (D-Youngstown)