COLUMBUS — The Ohio Senate took a step Wednesday that could stop any repeat of what happened to the March primary election as the COVID-19 pandemic hit the state.
It would also ensure in-person voting remains an option in the state.
According to Senate President Larry Obhof, the chamber approved amendments to an unrelated House bill that would stop any state official from changing the time, place or manner of the election.
The Medina Republican, whose district includes Richland, Ashland and Medina counties, as well as a portion of Holmes County, said the bill mandates Ohio will offer in-person voting in November during the presidential election.
“The Senate acted today to protect our most fundamental rights: the freedom of religion and the ability to vote,” Obhof said.
“The Senate amendments to House Bill 272 will protect the in-person election this fall. This bill reaffirms that the time, place and manner of holding an election are set by the legislature in the Ohio Revised Code, and that only the legislature can change an election date,” Obhof said.
Gov. Mike DeWine, through the orders of state health director Dr. Amy Acton, halted in-person voting on March 16, just hours before polls were to open, citing the dangers of the coronavirus pandemic.
Secretary of State Frank LaRose, who oversees elections in Ohio, put forth a plan that would end voting on June 2. Lawmakers ended up extending a vote-by-mail period through April 28, with limited offerings for in-person voting.
Voters didn’t respond well to changes with only about 20 percent turnout across the state. In Richland County, just 22 percent of eligible voters participated in the primary, about half of what the county saw during the 2016 presidential primary election cycle.
Obhof said it may not be the last proposed change to elections law before the Nov. 3 election.
“I don’t think the intent of this paragraph is meant to stop us from considering other elections changes over the next few months, but I think it was important that we protect having an in-person election date this fall,” Obhof said.
LaRose has called for other elections changes, including allowing for Ohioans to apply for a mail-in ballot online instead of having to submit a paper form.
“For years Ohioans have been able to choose between early voting in person, early voting by mail or voting in person on election day. Ohioans like that they have choices and we must prepare now so that they are all available in November,” LaRose said.
“For nearly two decades, Ohio has offered voting by mail as a secure and convenient option,” he said.
As part of HB 272 amendments, the Senate version also bars any public official from ordering a statewide closure of places of worship, or ordering closed in a geographic area.
The provision protecting the freedom to worship was added in response to a number of “stay at home orders” throughout the country during the COVID-19 pandemic, Obhof said.
Ohio did not prohibit churches or religious organizations from meeting, but a number of other states did so.
The Senate amendment to H.B. 272 would prevent any such statewide or regional closures of churches, if such a situation arises again in Ohio.
This is consistent with recent actions taken by the Trump administration to declare houses of worship as “essential places that provide essential services,” the Senate president said.
“While Ohio did not close churches during the pandemic, in a number of other states the freedom to worship was unconstitutionally curtailed by overreaching governors,” said Obhof. “The legislation we passed today will ensure that such infringements cannot and will not happen in Ohio.”
The bill now returns to the Ohio House, which must vote to concur with the Senate changes before the bill can reach DeWine’s desk. It’s not known if the governor would sign it.
