Victory on Dropboxes Delayed by Frank LaRose
This week the Ohio Democratic Party won a legal victory in the fight to allow county boards of elections to install multiple secure dropboxes for the return of vote-by-mail ballots.
"We are pleased the court agreed with our argument that nothing in Ohio law prohibits the installation of multiple dropboxes in a county," said Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper. "The secretary of state's directive banning multiple dropboxes is arbitrary and unreasonable, especially during a global pandemic when many more Ohioans want -- and need -- options for delivering their absentee ballots. It's time for Frank LaRose to stop with the theatrics and stalling tactics and let county boards of elections make it more convenient for Ohioans to vote."
Sen. Sherrod Brown, Congresswoman Joyce Beatty, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, Congresswoman Marcia Fudge and Congressman Tim Ryan sent a letter to Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose urging him to comply with the court's ruling.
"Time and again, failures to use your authority to make it easier for people to vote have put Ohioans at risk, including your refusal to prepay postage on ballots or allow multiple drop boxes in each county. It is your responsibility to exercise your authority to make it easier for Ohioans to vote safely. That is why we urge you to follow the Franklin County Common Pleas Court ruling and not waste taxpayer resources in mounting an appeal," wrote the lawmakers.
Cuyahoga County Democratic Party Chairwoman and Cuyahoga County Councilwoman Shontel Brown called out LaRose's "very intentional actions to make voting harder for some of our most vulnerable voters in our county."
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