Last week, Project Vote drafted a letter that was joined by more than a dozen Ohio advocacy groups to urge Governor John Kasich to veto Senate Bill 296. The bill would make it harder for courts to keep polling places open in the event of an emergency.
In the letter to Kasich, the groups noted that the bill manages to threaten two constitutionally protected, fundamental rights as it would infringe on both the right to vote and the right to judicial access.
Judges sometimes approve the extension of polling place hours in the rare occurrence of a weather emergency, major polling place equipment malfunctions, or other issues that are beyond the voters’ control. But, SB 296 allows judges to set a bond amount to keep the polls open. That is, voters and their advocates who petition to keep polls open would have to pay before they could file for the extension, which could cost many thousands. The bill also unfairly changes certain legal procedures and requirements.
Although polling place extensions sometimes gain media attention, they are a rare, but necessary occurrence when unforeseen circumstances have prevented eligible electors from casting their votes. SB 296 imposes unnecessary and unfair requirements that may do real harm to Ohio voters.
