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Election officials warn ranked‑choice rollout would require equipment and legal changes; supporters defend home rule and voter choice
Summary
At a third hearing on Senate Bill 63, the Cuyahoga County elections director told senators current certified voting systems could not run ranked‑choice contests without software or legal changes; proponents and opponents debated costs, delays, voter empowerment and home rule.
The Senate General Government Committee heard a contentious third hearing March 18 on Senate Bill 63, which would ban ranked‑choice voting (RCV) for local, state and federal elections in Ohio and withhold state funding from municipalities that adopt it.
Anthony Perlotti, director of the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, told the committee the county is neutral on the policy question but raised detailed administrative concerns: “To the best of my knowledge, none of the 5 voting systems currently certified in Ohio are able to execute a ranked choice voting election,” he said, citing limitations in ballot creation, tabulation and official certification timelines. Perlotti warned that implementing RCV statewide likely would require a single uniform vendor and…
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