Rep. Sweeney recognizes National Voter Registration Day

State Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Cleveland) today released the following statement in celebration of National Voter Registration Day:

“Voting is one of our most precious and fundamental rights that protects all of our other rights as Americans,” said Rep. Sweeney. “Your vote makes you powerful and that’s why some want to keep you away from the voting booth. But Ohioans won’t be held back. This National Voter Registration Day, I urge everyone to check their voter registration and spread the word about registering to vote.”

“Over the weekend, as early voting started for the November election, Ohio’s misguided voter purge continued. Roughly 9,000 more voters were purged, but over 5,000 voters in 61 counties were restored to the rolls after being mistakenly purged since September 6,” continued Rep. Sweeney. “I am monitoring this ongoing voter purge and working to ensure that every single voter purged in error has their voting rights restored.”

National Voter Registration Day is recognized yearly on the fourth Tuesday in September and seeks to raise awareness of voter registration opportunities for voters who may not register otherwise.

This year’s holiday comes just weeks after the Ohio Secretary of State removed thousands of eligible Ohioans from the voter rolls in an ongoing voter purge that has been criticized by Democrats and voting rights groups. These errors are not new to the process and Democrats fear that voters may have been wrongfully removed in previous voter purges as well. Nearly half a million people this year alone have been purged from the voter rolls. 

In 2018, over 1 million eligible Ohioans were not registered to vote. To register, update or check your voter registration, visit voterlookup.ohiosos.gov.

Rep. Sweeney is part of a bipartisan legislative working group seeking to pass Automated Voter Registration in Ohio so that everyone who wants to vote is on the rolls and can vote without unnecessary obstacles.