On Tuesday, the Ohio Supreme Court decided to let a new rule go into effect, which requires voters to personally submit their ballots into drop boxes, turning down the Democratic Party’s request to halt the implementation of this rule.
By a 4-3 vote, the court dismissed objections to the rule set by Ohio’s Secretary of State, Frank LaRose, which limits drop box usage only to those submitting their own ballots. The court highlighted that the Ohio Democratic Party delayed too long before bringing their lawsuit forward, leading to the dismissal of their request to put a stop to the rule.
“I’m grateful the court has allowed us to proceed with our efforts to protect the integrity of Ohio’s elections,” LaRose expressed his appreciation following the court’s decision. “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.”
“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,” he further commented. “The court’s decision should reinforce the confidence Ohio voters have in the security, honesty, and accountability of our elections.”
Elizabeth Walters, chair of the Ohio Democratic Party, expressed her disappointment with the verdict.
“Today’s decision is disappointing not just for us as a party, but for Ohioans who will be forced to jump through unnecessary hoops to exercise their right to vote in this historic election,” she remarked.
In a dissenting view, Judge Pierre Bergeron criticized the majority ruling as misleading and detrimental to the dignity of individuals.
The directive in question was issued on August 31, with the Democratic Party raising objections on September 27.
According to the directive, a ballot can be submitted on behalf of a disabled voter or a family member, but only directly to a county board of elections office. This process mandates that the individual submitting the ballot must verify they are authorized to do so. Additionally, election officials were instructed to clearly display signage detailing these requirements around drop boxes.
“I am acting under my statutory authority to compel the observance of election laws, in this case Ohio’s prohibition on ‘ballot harvesting,’ a process by which an individual attempts to collect and return absent voters’ ballots of other persons without accountability,” La Rose stated.
He also emphasized the importance of ongoing surveillance of drop boxes to prevent any instances of ballot harvesting.
“Ongoing routine monitoring of drop boxes should continue, specifically monitoring for individuals who are dropping off more than one ballot,” he mentioned. “My office will vigorously investigate and refer for prosecution any individual engaged in ballot harvesting in violation of Ohio law.”
Early voting commenced last week in Ohio, with the electorate participating in the presidential election and a significant Senate contest between incumbent Democrat Sherrod Brown and his Republican opponent, Bernie Moreno.
