NW Ohio Times

State Senators Theresa Gavarone and Bill DeMora have introduced a bill in Ohio to prohibit ranked choice voting. This bipartisan effort aims to prevent the adoption of this voting method, which involves ranking candidates by preference rather than selecting just one.

Senator Gavarone expressed concerns about ranked choice voting, stating, "Ranked choice voting distorts election outcomes, which inherently leads to uncertainty in our results." She further warned that it could delay election results and create confusion among voters. Gavarone emphasized that this system would alter Ohio's traditional voting process.

Senator DeMora echoed these sentiments, labeling ranked choice voting as "cumbersome, confusing, and unnecessary." He argued that its implementation would confuse both voters and election workers.

The proposed Senate Bill 63 seeks to ban ranked choice voting in all elections across Ohio. However, municipalities or chartered counties are exempt if they comply with a 1923 decision by the Ohio Supreme Court. Additionally, those opting for ranked choice voting would be ineligible for Local Government Fund distributions.

The bill is now set for referral to a committee for further discussion.