Government & Politics

Ohio Democrats Don't Like What They Are Hearing About New Election Reform Bill

The Statehouse News Bureau | By Jo Ingles (Statehouse News Bureau)

Published April 26, 2021 at 9:04 PM EDT

early in-person voters Franklin County — Voters wait to cast ballots in early in-person voting in Franklin County in November 2020. Information has been circulating among Ohio legislators about a bill, which has yet to be introduced, but is said to alter elections laws in the state.

A bill to reform elections in Ohio hasn’t been introduced yet but information about it has been leaking out. And Democrats don’t like what they are hearing.

Democrats say the Republican bill will take away one day of early in-person voting, shorten the window for requesting absentee ballots and require voters to provide more identification when casting ballots. Rep. Phillip Robinson (D-Solon) says since there hasn’t been any widespread fraud in Ohio, there’s no reason for this bill.

“In Ohio, we don’t have a problem with voter fraud. We have a problem with voter access," Robinson said.

The Republican sponsor of the bill, Rep. Bill Seitz (R-Green Township), notes the criticism by Democrats of an older draft of a bill had no effect on what has ended up in his legislation and says he has “herd immunity from the criticisms of the organized left.”