Voters Bill of Rights would preserve democracy in Ohio
The Dayton Daily News recently published Ray Marcano’s column “Ohio Voters Bill of Rights jeopardizes most critical issue this election cycle.” But the claims outlined in that opinion piece were a mischaracterization of the intentions behind the proposed constitutional amendment
For lovers of democracy, the goal has always been to make it as easy as possible to vote. The proposed constitutional amendment was designed to do just that. That’s why it’s important to combat misinformation. The truth of the matter is that Ohio has a missing voter problem and the Ohio Voters Bill of Rights is a vital step in finding and engaging those voters. But it is also a means of strengthening democracy.
To be clear, the OVBR amendment will remedy the fact that Ohio is home to 2 million people eligible but unregistered to vote. It didn’t address the fact that 700,000 registered voters who have not participated in a recent election are in danger of being purged. But no voter should lose their right to vote simply because they didn’t use it.
Unfortunately, Ohio consistently ranks near the bottom for voter turnout when compared to neighboring midwestern states. We must recognize that current voting policies are worsening the problem, making Ohio’s government less representative of its people. This is unsustainable and Ohio must and can do better.
To combat Ohio’s missing voter problem, the Ohio Voters Bill of Rights amendment packages the most successful voter-friendly policies from other states that experience higher voter turnout. These voter-friendly policies are not partisan; they are found in states controlled by Republicans and Democrats alike.
For instance, among Republican-controlled states, North Carolina has same-day voter registration, Georgia has automatic voter registration, and Texas allows for multiple early voting locations per county. In every case, these states see higher voter turnout among eligible citizens who cast a ballot.
If we make it easier to register and vote through the OVBR, Ohio will similarly see boosts in voter turnout and confidence in our elections.
In addition, there have been claims that the amendment would remove voter ID requirements; that is inaccurate. The Ohio Voters Bill of Rights amendment retains the requirement, while expanding the types of IDs that are acceptable to cast a ballot. Again, the goal is to make it as easy as possible for eligible voters to actually vote.
Indeed, Ohio’s current voter ID requirements are the most restrictive in the nation and disproportionately impact Black, brown, low-income and young voters. The extent to which we can expand the list of acceptable IDs is the degree to which we will engage more citizens in our electoral process.
The Voters’ Bill of Rights amendment will help every effort to advance democracy, including redistricting. Redistricting has long been challenging in Ohio with our maps being ruled unconstitutional on multiple occasions. Isn’t it time we tried something different?
In November 2018, Michigan voters overwhelmingly approved a citizen redistricting commission and automatic voter registration by similar margins (>60%).
As we learned last August, voters are not in the business of voting their rights away. Pro-democracy initiatives are popular with Ohio voters and would pass when presented to voters.
Finally, the Ohio Voters Bill of Rights amendment is supported by a growing coalition of organizations and individuals who are united in their commitment to build a democracy and voting system in our state that works for all of us. Every organization supporting OVBR is also a staunch supporter of expanding and preserving democracy. Ohio can and should adopt successful voting policies from other states that promote justice, equity and the true representation of our diverse population in our electoral system.
For Ohio voters who are committed to engaging missing voters and furthering democracy, the Ohio Voters Bill of Rights makes sense.