The Ohio Democratic Party sought judgement from the Ohio Supreme Court to rescind LaRose’s order that requires individuals delivering absentee ballots on behalf of a family member or disabled person to enter their BOE during business hours and fill out the attestation form when submitting the ballot, a plea that was denied in an opinion published by the court on Tuesday.
The decision was rendered on party lines, with the court’s four Republicans siding with fellow Republican LaRose, and the three Democrats dissenting.
In a statement issued soon after the ruling, LaRose said the court’s decision will “protect the integrity of Ohio’s elections.”
“... Political activists tried once again to dismantle the safeguards we’ve put in place, specifically in this case against ballot harvesting, and they’ve been rejected,” LaRose’s statement reads. “This is the same policy that’s been used successfully in other states, and it’s designed to protect both individuals and election officials from accusations of illegal voting. The court’s decision should reinforce the confidence Ohio voters have in the security, honesty, and accountability of our elections.”
LaRose’s drop box directive came after a federal court in July ruled in a case brought by the League of Women Voters of Ohio that Ohio’s law allowing only certain family members and the U.S. Postal Service to deliver absentee ballots violates federal law allowing disabled people to choose who they want to deliver their ballot.
Each county board of elections is allowed to have one secure drop box at the board office. They are monitored via video and a bipartisan team of election workers removes absentee ballots people have put in the box.
Local elections officials say the secure drop boxes are very popular with voters and give people who don’t want to use the U.S. Postal Service a way to deliver absentee ballots without having to come inside the office when it is open.
About the Author