Voting in Ohio: Ohio Laws

Only a citizen of the United States, of the age of eighteen years, who has been a resident of the state, county, township, or ward, such time as may be provided by law, and has been registered to vote for thirty days, has the qualifications of an elector, and is entitled to vote at all elections. No person who lacks those qualifications shall be permitted to vote at any state or local election held in this state. Any elector who fails to vote in at least one election during any period of four consecutive years shall cease to be an elector unless the elector again registers to vote.

Ohio Capital Journal 4/22/24

Lawfare 10/15/20

Elections

Enacted as part of the budget, the Data Analysis Transparency Archive (DATA) Act to establish the Office of Data Analytics and Archives in the Office of the Secretary of State and to modify requirements for the Statewide Voter Registration Database and other election records.

Budget bill for 2024-2025. DeWine signed it. Enacts the Data Act, an election reform measure. It includes more scholarships to private schools. Homeschooled students can now get these scholarships. Strips Ohio’s Board of Education of most of its power, transferring it instead to a newly-created Department of Education and Workforce within the governor’s office. It also relaxes some home-school requirements.

Would make Ohio a closed primary state

Another version of a closed primary

Establish Secretary of State Election Integrity Division

Sec. of State Frank LaRose signed off on 7/25/23

Issue 1 was defeated on 8/8/23. Required that any proposed amendment to the Constitution of the State of Ohio receive the approval of at least 60 percent of eligible voters voting on the proposed amendment. Require that any initiative petition filed on or after January 1, 2024 with the Secretary of State proposing to amend the Canstitution of the State of Ohio be signed by at least five percent of the eligible voters of each county in the state.

Ohio Capital Journal 7/20/23

ACLU 2/21/23. Includes the proposed ballot language

Action News 13 7/4/23

Requires photo ID in order to vote. Provides for obtaining free photo ID at the BMV. Provides that "noncitizen" will be now be printed on driver's licenses and state ID's if the applicant cannot prove they are a citizen.

Oh. Supreme Court mandamus action decided 9/19/23. Ohio Ballot Board can use LaRose's rewording of abortion amendment, with minor changes

Ohio Supreme Court case challenging the abortion rights ballot initiative on the ground that it doesn't list laws that would be repealed. Briefs are due Aug. 7, 2023.

Lawsuit in Ohio Supreme Court alleging that Issue 1's language is misleading.

6/12/23 The description of Issue 1 on the ballot must be rewritten.

Ohio Capital Journal 6/14/23

Lawsuit challenging the legality of Issue 1 even being on the ballot.

6/16/23 Ohio Supreme Court rules that Issue 1 can be voted on on August 8, 2023.

3/20/23 Ohio Ballot Board sued over its decision to certify abortion amendment. Relators claim that the amendment contains more than one subject. Ohio Supreme Court accepted the case on 3/28/23, with an expedited briefing schedule.

Ohio Supreme Court finds that abortion rights amendment only contains one subject. 6/1/23