LaRose blasts proposed constitutional amendment
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose issued the following statement Friday in response to the filing of a proposed constitutional amendment titled Secure and Fair Elections:
“The Attorney General has just notified me of yet another proposal to amend Ohio’s constitution, this time rewriting the rules of our state and local elections. Let me be clear: there will be nothing secure and fair about the way we vote in this state if this amendment is passed. It’s a direct assault on the integrity of our voting process and the safeguards we’ve put in place to hold that process accountable.”
Among the list of “rights” which would be created by this amendment:
• automatic voter registration,
• unchecked same-day voter registration and voting,
• a signed declaration of identity to replace a voter’s photo identification,
• multiple unregulated drop boxes and early voting locations throughout a county,
• an extended post-election ballot return period,
• unregulated expansion of early voting hours by county,
• state-funded prepaid return postage for all absentee ballot applications and absentee ballots, and
• a ban on the removal of inactive voter registration records, as required under current state and federal law, resulting in these registrations remaining on the rolls despite the voter having moved or died.
“I predicted months ago that radical interests are preparing to jam their extreme agendas into our state constitution because they can’t get them passed by the people’s representatives in the Statehouse,” LaRose added. “That effort is well underway. This is a political Trojan horse designed to make elections easier to steal, and they’re dishonestly doing it under the name of security and fairness. Pay attention, Ohioans.”
The Ohio Attorney General has until Dec. 28 to determine whether the proposed amendment summary is fair and truthful. If the summary is approved, the Ohio Ballot Board, chaired by Secretary LaRose, will convene to determine whether the proposed amendment consists of one or multiple issues.