STOP OHIO Senate Bill 153: Our Voting Rights are Under Attack

SB 153 proposes to do the following:

Changes to the registration process

Requires “documentary proof of citizenship” to be presented in order to register to vote or update your voter registration.Eliminates the use of voter registration forms, prohibits registering through QR codes at local events or drives, and ends online voter registration.Requires Ohioans to register or update their registration by going to the Board of Elections and bringing required proof of citizenship. Most people do not carry the required forms of identification when they go to the BMV to renew their license.

Changes that could trigger provisional voting

Senate Bill 153 requires your ID to match your voter information exactly, and forces you to vote provisionally if any of the following applies:

Your middle initial is listed on your registration but not your licenseYou moved in the past 8 years but did not update your licenseYour license uses a shortened version of the name on your registrationYou changed or hyphenated your last name when you were marriedYou have changed your name for any reasonYou do not have a driver’s license or state IDBMV data is incorrect or has not been updated

Requires all newly registered voters and recently updated voters to vote provisionally until their citizenship is verified. If you are forced to vote provisionally for any reason, and you fail to provide proper documentation afterward, your voter registration will be canceled.

If you fail to response to voter confirmation notices sent through the mail within 14 days of the second notice, you could face prosecution.

All ballot drop boxes would be banned, including those outside your Board of Elections.

Changes to ballot signature collection process

Requires paid circulators to wear a visible badge while collecting signaturesDefines “paid” as “given, or promised, or has received, any money or other thing of value as consideration for taking the action.” This could include pizza or t-shirts.Informs circulators they could be subpoenaed to testify, even if they reside out of stateRequires paid circulators for all petitions (liquor, zoning, state ballot) to list their employer on each petition and write in the number of signatures they collectedContains provisions that would require petitions to be thrown out if circulators don’t wear badges, sign the wrong section, or if paperwork isn’t filed correctly

Senate Bill 153 is an extreme and unwarranted piece of legislation that undermines the petition process, voter rights, and the integrity of elections

 Summary provided by Ohio Citizen Action -- go to  ohiocitizen.org to learn more and get involved!