What are SB 153 and HB 233?

Ohio Senate and House bills that would make it harder for Ohioans to cast a ballot; harder for state initiatives, local issues and candidates at all levels to get on the ballot, and add unacceptable burdens to local Boards of Elections without adding resources.

These Bills Would Make it Difficult for You to Vote

• Institute excessive and unnecessary ID requirements that would result in voter application rejections as well as approval delays.
• Eliminate all ballot drop boxes. All personally delivered absentee ballots must be hand-delivered to election officials during business hours. 
• Require registered voters to vote provisionally if there is a mismatch with their name or address on their license. The voter would then have only 4 days after an election to prove the information on the ID was accurate.
• Cancel their voter registration and refer them for investigation and possible prosecution if the Board of Elections or Secretary of State contacts them and they do not respond within 14 days.  

These Bills Make it Harder to Collect Petition Signatures

Citizens, businesses and governments at the state and local level who collect petition signatures would be subject to new restrictions on how those petitions are handled and how signature collectors are categorized. This is an attack on direct democracy. Candidates for office would be subject to the same provisions.

What Can You Do? 

• Call your Ohio Representative https://www.ohiohouse.gov/members/directory 
• 46th District: Thomas Hall 614-644-5094
• 47th District: Diane Mullins 614-644-6721
• 40th District: Rodney Creech 614-466-2960
• Call your Ohio Senators https://www.ohiosenate.gov/members/directory 
• District 4: George Lange 614-466-8072
• Write letters to the editor of your local newspapers - share on social media.