COLUMBUS, Ohio – All Voting is Local Ohio sent a letter to Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s office today urging the SOS office to disseminate funds and conduct training for Board of Elections (BOE) staff for the upcoming election due to the recently-passed restrictive voting bill HB 458. The group additionally called for staff to be adequately informed on general public voter education so that they may properly inform Ohio voters of the new procedures. The Ohio Voter Rights Coalition has found that BOE workers, legislators, and advocates alike have experienced extreme confusion about how the law will be implemented since Governor DeWine signed the law on January 6, 2023.
“Members of Ohio Voter Rights Coalition (OVRC) across the state have placed calls to their local Boards to understand the voter registration processes and what a new registrant needs to submit a hardcopy registration form,” All Voting Ohio State Director Kayla Griffin wrote in the letter. “We found that alarmingly, staff have been reporting different information instead of a uniform message. For example, some staff have reported that old forms would be accepted, while others say that only the new SOS forms would be permissible.”
The group also cited that they are aware that BOE staff are not to blame for the confusion, as no training or money has been allocated to ensure they are prepared for the upcoming election.
The full letter can be read here.