Election‑law overhaul draws broad opposition at committee hearing; critics say SB 153 would disenfranchise voters and burden election officials

Summary

Advocates for voter access, county election officials and civil‑liberty groups testified against Senate Bill 153, warning that documentary proof‑of‑citizenship requirements, curtailed drop‑boxes and signature rules for ballot initiatives would increase provisional rejections, create legal risk and impose heavy administrative costs

Public‑interest groups, election advocates, poll workers and civil‑liberty lawyers told the Ohio Senate General Government Committee the state should reject Senate Bill 153 because, they said, it would make it harder for eligible Ohioans to register and vote and would hamper citizen ballot initiatives.

Witnesses said SB 153 imposes documentary proof‑of‑citizenship (DPOC) requirements for registrants and would increase provisional ballots and cancellations when clerical errors, data mismatches or postal delays occur. They warned that the bill’s signature, timing and ‘‘compensated circulator’’ rules would intimidate volunteers and sharply raise the cost and complexity of placing measures on the ballot.

Kelly Dufour of Common Cause Ohio and Greer Ashbury of All Voting Is Local Action called for more study and greater input from county boards of elections, which witnesses said are already implementing recent changes to registration and data transfer systems. The Ohio county boards were not widely present to testify,…

Election‑law overhaul draws broad opposition at committee hearing; critics say SB 153 would disenfranchise voters and burden election officials

Summary

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