Several voting rights organizations have filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block Ohio’s new election law before it takes effect, arguing the measure violates federal protections and risks removing eligible voters from the rolls.
The lawsuit, filed Friday, follows a letter sent last month to Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose requesting changes to Senate Bill 293. After no corrective action was taken, the League of Women Voters of Ohio and CAIR-Northern Ohio moved forward with legal action in federal court.
The groups are represented by the American Civil Liberties Union Voting Rights Project, the Campaign Legal Center, and the ACLU of Ohio. They contend that SB 293 violates both the National Voter Registration Act and the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
One of the most significant changes in the new law eliminates a four-day grace period for mail-in ballots that are postmarked by Election Day but arrive after. The legislation also establishes new procedures for election officials to verify voter citizenship status.
Under SB 293, the secretary of state is required to regularly compare Ohio voter registration records with citizenship data from the state Bureau of Motor Vehicles and the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program. If discrepancies are identified, a voter’s registration could be canceled.
The lawsuit argues that those databases may contain outdated or inaccurate information and claims the law allows voter registrations to be removed without prior notice or an opportunity to respond. The law mandates monthly reviews and potential removals from voter rolls.
Plaintiffs also assert that purging voters close to an election could violate the federal 90-day “quiet period,” which restricts systematic removals from voter rolls in the lead-up to federal elections.
Supporters of the lawsuit argue the new requirements could disproportionately impact naturalized citizens and other communities. The plaintiffs are asking the court to block enforcement of the law while the legal challenge proceeds.
The outcome of the case could determine how Ohio implements voter registration verification and ballot deadlines in future elections.
