Mastodawn

#Ohio governor 'reluctantly' signs bill eliminating grace period for late #ballots

The number of #states that will accept late-arriving #MailInBallots during next year’s critical #midterm #elections continues to dwindle, as Ohio Gov Mike DeWine “reluctantly” signed new restrictions into law, citing the uncertainty of pending litigation to ban the counting of such ballots in his state.

#Trump has moved to eliminate the practice nationally.

#law #ElectionLaw
https://apnews.com/article/ohio-governor-eliminates-mailin-voting-grace-period-fecd71756f26023df4183c167b24875b

Ohio's DeWine signs bill eliminating grace period for late ballots

Gov. Mike DeWine has signed legislation eliminating Ohio's four-day grace period for late-arriving mail-in ballots. The Republican said Friday that he reluctantly signed the bill to avoid chaos in next year's critical midterm elections. At issue is a pending U.S. Supreme Court case out of Mississippi that challenges the counting of such ballots as a violation of federal law. If a lower court ruling is upheld, DeWine said Ohio would wind up with different ballot rules for federal and state candidates. Democrats and voter advocates said the change will disenfranchise thousands of voters who cast absentee ballots through the mail.

AP News

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Nonilex Dec 24

DeWine, a term-limited #Republican, had warned #Ohio’s #GOP-led Legislature in 2023 that a sweeping package of #ElectionLaw changes he signed that year would likely be the last voting restrictions he would let past his veto pen. Election integrity in the state, he said, had been amply assured.

But, despite having reservations, DeWine on Friday signed legislation eliminating Ohio’s 4-day grace period for #AbsenteeBallots & making other voting changes.

#law #VoteSuppression #VotingRights

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Nonilex Dec 24

“I believe that this 4-day grace period is reasonable, & I think for many reasons it makes a lot of sense,” he told reporters. “Therefore, I normally would veto a repeal of this 4-day grace period. And, frankly, that’s what I wish I could do.”

DeWine said he his hand was forced, given the uncertain outcome of a Mississippi case that #SCOTUS is expected to decide next summer.

#law #ElectionLaw #VoteSuppression #VotingRights

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Nonilex Dec 24

#SCOTUS has taken up the Mississippi’s appeal after a panel of 3 judges nominated by #Trump on the #5thCircuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2024 that its #law allowing #ballots that arrive shortly after #Election Day to be counted violated federal law.

“No one knows how the Supreme Court will rule,” DeWine said. “However, if the court in late June upholds the 5th Circuit case & Ohio’s grace period for counting late ballots is still in effect, the election situation in Ohio would be chaotic.”

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Nonilex Dec 24

Such a ruling would create one set of rules for #state candidates & a different set of rules for #federal candidates, the governor said. #Ohio lawmakers would lack time to
square the 2 in time for November ballots to be prepared, causing confusion for voters.

With his signature, the number of states accepting mailed ballots received after #Election Day as long as the ballots are postmarked on or before that date has fallen to 14….

#law #ElectionLaw #VoteSuppression #VotingRights #SCOTUS #Trump