NW Ohio Times

State Senators Theresa Gavarone and Andrew Brenner have introduced Senate Bill 324 in Columbus, aiming to enhance the security of Ohio's elections. The bill proposes several measures designed to strengthen voter registration processes and ensure the integrity of absentee ballots.

"Ohio is the gold standard when it comes to running elections," said Senator Gavarone. She emphasized that Senate Bill 324 seeks to "address areas of the election law we can improve," specifically by adding an "extra layer of protection to enforce our state constitution's citizenship requirement."

Senator Brenner also expressed confidence in Ohio's election system, stating, "We take pride in maintaining safe and secure elections." He noted that the legislation aims to reinforce Ohio's election laws, providing additional protections for voters.

The proposed legislation requires voters to present proof of citizenship when registering or updating their voter registration if they haven't done so previously. If a voter cannot provide this proof, they may cast a provisional ballot, which will only be counted once citizenship is verified.

Additionally, Senate Bill 324 mandates that absentee ballots must either be hand-delivered or mailed back to election officials. A voter's assistant delivering a ballot must sign a form confirming their legal ability to do so.

"This is another critical change to ensure the process for voting is followed correctly by all," Gavarone stated. She added that Senate Bill 324 is intended to safeguard voters' voices at the ballot box, especially after incidents involving fires set in ballot boxes on the west coast.

The bill now awaits referral to a committee for further consideration.