The Ohio Supreme Court has rejected a Democrat lawsuit that sought to make the state’s elections less secure.
On Tuesday, the Ohio Supreme Court allowed Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s (R) election integrity directive to take effect, which mandates voters put their own ballots in drop boxes. In the 4-3 ruling, the court pointed out that the Ohio Democrats waited an unreasonable amount of time to file the lawsuit — which was likely a strategic decision aimed at tying up the measure in the courts to prevent it from being implemented for next month’s election. The directive was issued on August 31 and the Ohio Democrat Party waited until September 27 to file the challenge.
It might be fall, but one thing we won’t be harvesting in Ohio is ballots. Liberal activists just lost another lawsuit once again trying to dismantle our election integrity efforts. This time Hillary Clinton’s lawyer @marceelias tried – and failed – to block our safeguards… https://t.co/Z6k2o3JUMg
— Frank LaRose (@FrankLaRose) October 15, 2024
LaRose responded to the ruling in a statement, celebrating the court’s decision to protect election integrity.
“I’m grateful the court has allowed us to proceed with our efforts to protect the integrity of Ohio’s elections,” the Republican secretary of state said. “Political activists tried once again to dismantle the safeguards we’ve put in place, specifically in this case against ballot harvesting, and they’ve been rejected.”
“This is the same policy that’s been used successfully in other states, and it’s designed to protect both individuals and election officials from accusations of illegal voting,” LaRose added. “The court’s decision should reinforce the confidence Ohio voters have in the security, honesty, and accountability of our elections.”
Meanwhile, the Democrats complained about the decision, with Ohio Democrat Party chair Elizabeth Walters claiming that it “forced” voters to “jump through unnecessary hoops” by simply mandating that they hand in their own ballot.
“Today’s decision is disappointing not just for us as a party, but for Ohioans who will be forced to jump through unnecessary hoops to exercise their right to vote in this historic election,” she whined.
LaRose’s directive stated that individuals were only able to return a ballot for another voter if they were disabled or a family member, but they were required to hand that ballot in at a county board of elections, not a ballot drop box. The measure also included a requirement for the individual dropping off the ballot to attest that they were authorized to return it. LaRose also required election officials to place signs above drop boxes that explain these rules.
Let's clear up some ridiculous misreporting about yesterday’s Supreme Court decision on the use of drop boxes. Disabled voters have MANY convenient options to vote: from their home with an absentee ballot and a stamp, from their car at a board of elections with assistance from…
— Frank LaRose (@FrankLaRose) October 16, 2024
“I am acting under my statutory authority to compel the observance of election laws, in this case Ohio’s prohibition on ‘ballot harvesting,’ a process by which an individual attempts to collect and return absent voters’ ballots of other persons without accountability,” he explained.
As ballot harvesting is illegal in Ohio, LaRose also included in the directive a call for officials to remain vigilant about the matter.
“Ongoing routine monitoring of drop boxes should continue, specifically monitoring for individuals who are dropping off more than one ballot,” he said. “My office will vigorously investigate and refer for prosecution any individual engaged in ballot harvesting in violation of Ohio law.”
