Sweeney Statement on Federal Court order on ballot collection

COLUMBUS— State Representative Bride Rose Sweeney (D - Cleveland) released the below statement in response to a federal judge’s dismissal of the second ballot drop box lawsuit.

Said Rep. Sweeney:

“Today was a beautiful day for voting. Thousands came out across the state to vote early. And a federal Court just issued a decision that makes absentee voting by mail easier for my constituents and everyone in the Cleveland area. The judge noted that the Secretary of State’s directive, issued yesterday, allows for the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections to proceed with its plan to staff satellite ballot collection at six libraries in the county. The judge also signaled that voting rights advocates may refile their lawsuit if there are any more shenanigans from the Secretary of State related to ballot collection sites.”

The judge wrote:

“Yesterday, October 5, the Secretary issued Directive 2020-22. In his latest Directive, the Secretary authorized any board to deploy its staff to receive ballots at sites other than the board office. This means that the Cuyahoga County board may implement its intended plan to receive ballots at six public libraries, and that any other board in Ohio that votes to do so may deploy its staff to receive ballots off-site, so long as the board complies with the procedures set forth in Section II of Directive 2020-22.”

Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s directive can be found here.