House Panel Approves Elections Legislation

An Ohio House committee today approved legislation ensuring Ohio will continue its tradition of allowing Ohioans to cast their ballots in person on Election Day.

The House State and Local Government Committee made several changes to House Bill 680 before recommending its passage, included adding Senate-passed language prohibiting a public official from interfering with an election.

Legislative action on the issue comes in the wake of confusion and uncertainty in the final moments before the March 17 primary.

“This legislation 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,” said State Representative Cindy Abrams (R-Harrison).

A proposed “failsafe” or backup election plan for possible use during public health emergencies was removed from House Bill 680 for further review. It would have allowed the governor and state health director to recommend to the legislature that an upcoming election be conducted largely by mail.

Under the bill approved by the House State and Local Government Committee today, public officials would be expressly prohibited from causing an election to be conducted in any way other than the time, place and manner currently outlined in state law.

Among the changes made by the committee today was permitting the Ohio Secretary of State to use federal CARES Act funding to mail unsolicited applications for absentee ballots for the November 2020 election.

The bill allows the Secretary of State to use CARES aid in several other ways as well, including paying for completion of the March 17 primary; providing personal protective equipment for elections officials; paying for cleaning and modifying the layout of polling places; and recruiting and training poll workers.

The legislation sets, at seven days prior to Election Day, the deadline for voters to apply to receive absentee ballots by mail. Current law is three days, which the United States Postal Service indicates is insufficient to meet their delivery standards.

Bill supporters say the change to seven days will allow absentee ballots to be mailed to voters and returned to county elections boards on time, better ensuring ballots will be counted.

Neither the original bill nor the changes adopted by the committee today change the ability for the state to allow in-person early voting the final weekend before Election Day.

“I’ve had extensive conversations with state and local elections officials, legislators from around the state and many others interested in Ohio continuing to have secure, well-run elections,” Abrams said. “I believe the changes made today make a good bill even better.”

The measure is expected to be considered by the full House on Thursday.