Ohio House Democrats Urge Gov. DeWine to Veto Bill Burdening Ohioans Ability to Make Their Voices Heard at the Ballot Box

COLUMBUS - Ohio House Democrats today sent a letter to Governor Mike DeWine requesting a full veto of anti-voter Senate Bill (SB) 293, which places new burdens on voters by adding unnecessary hurdles to the voting process, shortening the time available for Ohioans to make their voices heard, and weakening essential accountability measures.

"SB 293 is a hurried, ill-considered change to Ohio voting law that needlessly adds new administrative barriers and will make it harder for thousands of Ohioans to have their ballots counted. Eliminating the four-day grace period and expanding mechanisms for questioning someone's voter registration will disproportionately harm older, disabled, working, and transportation-limited voters, denying some Ohioans their voice and potentially altering election outcomes. A veto of this reckless legislation is squarely in the public interest," said House Democrats.

The letter outlines the harmful impacts of SB 293, including:

• Eliminating the four-day grace period that currently allows timely-mailed ballots to arrive after Election Day and still count.
• Increasing cancellations of voter registrations through new, unvetted mechanisms.
• Forcing more people into provisional ballots, which are more likely to be rejected.
• Disproportionately impacting older voters, disabled voters, working Ohioans, and those without reliable transportation.
• Creating election-day confusion by pushing major changes during the middle of the 2025 election cycle.
• Rushing changes with almost no public input or testimony.

House Democrats are hopeful Governor DeWine upholds his commitment of not expecting "to see any further statutory changes to Ohio voting procedures while [he is] Governor."

EDITOR'S NOTE: The letter House Democrats sent to the governor is attached to this release.