The Senate General Government Committee advanced Senate Bill 293, which would remove the post‑election grace period for mail‑in ballots, by a 4–2 vote after hearing in‑person opposition from voting‑rights organizations and county election workers.

Senator Huffman moved to favorably report SB 293 to the committee on Rules and Reference; the clerk recorded a 4–2 vote in favor. Committee members held the roll open to allow additional members to record their votes. Earlier in the meeting the panel tabled an amendment (136‑1122) that would have directed a $10 million education allocation to inform voters about a shortened ballot‑receipt deadline; the motion to table the amendment passed 5–2.

Witnesses opposed the bill across party lines and from multiple civic organizations. Jennifer Miller of the League of Women Voters of Ohio said the bill “does nothing to make elections more secure. It simply erects more barriers to voting,” and urged expanding drop boxes, allowing online absentee requests and increasing election‑office funding instead of shortening deadlines. Andrea Yagoda and other opponents argued the bill would disenfranchise military and overseas voters and cited Secretary of State data showing thousands of ballots arrived during the existing four‑day window after the 2024 election.

Colin Marosi of the ACLU of Ohio said cutting off the mail‑in ballot return deadline by four days “will prevent thousands of eligible voters from having their ballots counted,” and he disputed claims that federal law compels the change, citing case law and a historical review that courts and Congress have interpreted narrowly. Mia Lewis of Common Cause Ohio warned the bill would “make voting harder” and noted that roughly 2.6 million Ohioans voted absentee or early in 2024, with more than 800,000 relying on the postal service to return ballots.

Peter Maxwell, a precinct election official, cited a Secretary of State statistic noting about 99.99% accuracy in the 2024 election and said local election officials saw no operational benefit in further restricting return windows. Witnesses and multiple senators referenced a figure — roughly 10,000 ballots in November 2024 — that were received within the four‑day window that SB 293 would eliminate if enacted.

Proponents of the bill argued it would bring Ohio law into conformity with concerns expressed by federal authorities, but witnesses and several senators said the law on the federal role is unsettled and that changes should not be implemented preemptively. The committee voted to report the bill to Rules and Reference for further consideration.