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Voter Rights Group Files Appeal To Keep Measure As One Ballot Issue

Ohio Ballot Board votes to split the Secure and Fair Elections Amendment into four different initiatives.
Andy Chow
Ohio Ballot Board votes to split the Secure and Fair Elections Amendment into four different initiatives.

The group trying to put a voter rights amendment on this year's ballot has filed an appeal in the Ohio Supreme Court to fight against a decision by the Ohio Ballot Board to split their measure into four different initiatives.

The Secure and Fair Elections Amendmentwould require 28 days early voting, automatic voter registration with the BMV, and same-day registration and voting.

Earlier this week the Ohio Ballot Board said this measure did not follow the single-issue requirement and voted, by a Republican majority, to split this initiative four ways. Each petition must contain 442,958 valid signatures to qualify for the ballot.

But supporters of the amendment argued in its appeal to the Ohio Supreme Court that it does abide by the single-issue rule because all measures relate to voting.

Republican leaders who voted to split the issue say it was to avoid "logrolling" where an unpopular measure is tied to a popular one.

The group is also moving forward with proposing language for four new petitions.

Contact Andy at achow@statehousenews.org.
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