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Committee advances bill that would eliminate post‑Election‑Day mail‑in ballot grace period after heated testimony
Summary
After extensive opposition testimony from voting‑rights groups and election officials, the Senate General Government Committee voted 4–2 to refer Senate Bill 293 — which would eliminate Ohio’s current 4‑day grace period for mailed ballots — to the Committee on Rules and Reference; an amendment to fund $10 million for voter education was tabled 5–2.
The Senate General Government Committee on Friday advanced Senate Bill 293 to the Committee on Rules and Reference after extensive public testimony opposing the measure.
Senator Huffman moved to favorably report SB293 to Rules and Reference; the motion carried on a roll-call vote that the chair announced as 4–2. The committee’s action follows hours of testimony from election experts and civil‑rights organizations who said the bill would throw out otherwise lawful ballots that were postmarked before Election Day but arrived after it.
Witnesses from the League of Women Voters of Ohio, the ACLU of Ohio and Common Cause Ohio described the bill as a disenfranchising change that would disproportionately affect older Ohioans, rural voters and people who rely on mail service. "It simply erects more barriers to voting," Jennifer Miller of the League of Women Voters told the committee, arguing that absentee voting is a vital access method for seniors, people with disabilities, military personnel and others.
Colin Marazzi of the ACLU of Ohio cited legal precedent and ongoing litigation in other circuits to argue there is no settled federal rule that forbids states from counting postmarked ballots received after Election Day; he told senators that roughly 10,000 ballots statewide arrived during the current 4‑day window in November 2024 and would have been discarded under the proposed change. Mia Lewis of Common Cause urged the committee to consider alternatives — online absentee requests, more drop boxes and broader returns — rather than eliminating the grace period.
Senator DeMora proposed an amendment to allocate $10,000,000 in fiscal 2026 for voter education about the change; Vice Chair Gavarone moved to table that amendment and, by roll call, the committee tabled it 5–2. After receiving the testimony and considering amendments, Senator Huffman moved to favorably report SB293 to Rules and Reference; the roll call produced four yes votes and two no votes and the bill was referred.
The committee chair held the roll open for absent members before finalizing the referral. The committee adjourned with no further business.
