Abrams Issues Statement on Elections Legislation

COLUMBUS – State Representative Cindy Abrams (R-Harrison) issued the following statement regarding passage of House Bill 680:

“The Ohio House on Thursday approved legislation, House Bill 680, ensuring Ohio will continue its tradition of allowing Ohioans to cast their ballots, in person, on Election Day.

It will safeguard Ohio’s elections, ensuring every Ohioan will know how our elections will be run, how they can vote and, most importantly, that their vote will count.

Here are the highlights of the bill:

- The bill expressly states that “no public official shall cause an election to be conducted other than in the time, place and manner prescribed” by state law.
- The bill allows the Ohio Secretary of State to mail unsolicited absentee ballot applications to Ohio voters for the November 2020 election, using federal CARES Act funding.
- The bill clarifies the Ohio Secretary of State may not prepay the return postage on any applications for absentee ballots or any absentee ballots themselves, which is already the case for county elections boards under current law.
- The bill allows the Ohio Secretary of State to use CARES Act dollars in other ways as well, including recruiting and training poll workers.
- To help ensure absentee ballots are processed on time, the bill adjusts the deadline for voters to apply to receive ballots by mail. Currently, the deadline is three days prior to Election Day, which is insufficient to meet United States Postal Services delivery standards. The bill sets the deadline at seven days prior to Election Day.
- The bill does nothing to reduce or restrict in-person early voting the final weekend before Election Day.
- The bill does not disenfranchise voters. Ohioans would still have the same number of days to vote this fall.

I appreciate the numerous meetings I’ve had with local and state elections officials, stakeholders, constituents, and fellow lawmakers that resulted in these positive changes to the legislation. House Bill 680 eliminates possible confusion and ensures that every Ohioan’s voice is heard.”