Stop SB 153 and HB 233: The Attacks on Democracy

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The Ohio General Assembly is considering Senate Bill 153 and House Bill 233, anti-voter legislation that requires proof of citizenship to vote and adds laborious and unnecessary constraints for Boards of Elections workers.

Lawmakers claim that these bills are necessary to protect our elections, yet Ohio’s audits show that voter fraud is exceedingly rare, and our elections processes maintain 99.9% accuracy. The requirement of proof of citizenship to vote is not only redundant, but it will create barriers for many who are citizens but may not have the needed documentation.

Additionally, SB 153 and HB 233 put targets on the backs of civically engaged Ohioans by directly attacking our right to direct democracy through citizen-led ballot initiatives. Provisions in these bills include requiring compensated signature collectors to wear specific badges, forcing more signatures to be thrown out due to minor clerical errors, and altering key voter registration rules for petition signers.

Ohio’s elections are already secure and accurate. These bills will suppress voter turnout, exclude eligible Ohioans from casting a ballot or partaking in a ballot initiative, burden already overworked Boards of Elections, and negatively impact turnout.

TAKE ACTION: Contact the Ohio General Assembly and Governor DeWine and urge them to REJECT SB 153 and HB 233.

Message Recipients: Members of the Ohio Senate, Ohio House of Representatives, and Governor DeWine

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Dear Ohio Lawmaker,

I urge you to OPPOSE Senate Bill 153 and HB 233 and protect Ohio voters.

Message Body

Ohio’s elections are safe and accurate, but. SB 153 and HB 233 are massive overhauls of our elections, that won’t increase security or accuracy. Our Boards of Elections are already overworked and under resourced, and the litany of unfunded mandates in the bill will only make their jobs harder and more expensive. Instead of working to address issues and oversights from the last time we overhauled our elections, passing SB 153 or HB 233 will create new problems for voters and administrators.

Requiring proof of citizenship will disenfranchise eligible voters who lack certain documentation, and our provisional ballot rates will skyrocket due to clerical errors and inconsequential discrepancies in back-end data. Additionally, enacting cumbersome barriers for citizen-led ballot initiatives would potentially put signature collectors at risk of harm and hinder the already meticulous work of campaigns.

Ohioans want increased access to the ballot box and accessible voting options – not cumbersome legislation seeking to fix nonexistent issues.

Ohio lawmakers must prioritize a strong, inclusive democracy and ensure every eligible citizen can vote without unnecessary hurdles.

I strongly urge you to stop these threats to our democratic processes by REJECTING SB 153 and HB 233.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]

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Stop SB 153 and HB 233: The Attacks on Democracy

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