'Massive power grab' - Ohio leaders denounce sweeping voting legislation

COLUMBUS - Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has trumpeted for months how relatively flawlessly the state executed the November election, calling it the most secure and accessible election in Ohio history.

LaRose has been saying for the past week he doesn’t need the federal government inserting itself into the process.

State Rep. Thomas Hall, R-Madison Township, earlier this week introduced a resolution calling on Congress to defeat House Resolution 1, which LaRose called a federal takeover of state-run elections.

“Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi wants to California-fy all 50 states’ elections systems, and we’re saying no way," LaRose said. "This massive power grab would impose significant and costly mandates eroding election security and sapping voter confidence. Ohio leaders are speaking in a unified voice against this drastic overreach. I want to thank Representative Hall for taking up this important issue and urge his colleagues to support this resolution.”

 Called the For the People Act, HR 1, which the U.S. House passed Wednesday on a near party-line 220-210 vote, touches on virtually every aspect of the electoral process, The Associated Press reported. The legislation would create automatic voter registration across the country, restore full voting rights to felons, expand early voting, enhance absentee voting and simplify voting by mail.

Calling it "a bill that will expand voter registration, strengthen vote by mail and protect our elections from foreign interference, U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Howland, supported the bill.

"The events of recent months have made it clear that we still have work to do to restore the integrity of our democracy and ensure that everyone trusts the electoral process. That’s why we were sent here by the American people, and our work should reflect that,” Ryan said in a news release.

 U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Marietta, saw it differently.

“Changing the national campaign finance system to benefit themselves, taking constitutionally mandated election authorities away from the states and restricting the rights of free speech are all a part of an unprecedented power grab,” Johnson said in a news release.

U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Maryland, pointed to voter roll purge systems such as those in Ohio and Georgia as something the resolution would prevent.

The legislation first was introduced in Congress two years ago with significant Republican opposition.

“Remember, each state election system is unique — shaped by time and trusted by their respective voters," LaRose said. "Forcing uniform standards, procedures and expectations into state election systems, some far different than others and not built for those requirements, is like forcing a square peg into a round hole.”

The legislation now moves to the Senate.