Contacts: 

Catherine Turcer, Common Cause Ohio (614) 579-5509

Mike Brickner, All Voting is Local (216) 702-3034

Jen Miller, League of Women Voters of Ohio (614) 563-9543

Today, a coalition of over 65 Ohio voting rights and advocacy groups sent a letter to Secretary of State Frank LaRose, legislative leaders, and all members of the Ohio General Assembly urging them to take immediate action to resolve numerous problems with our elections in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, including expanding early in-person voting and vote by mail, enacting emergency preparedness policies and plans for future elections, and increasing poll worker pay.

“Ohioans have a right to make their voice heard and we need action now to ensure they can,” said Catherine Turcer, executive director of Common Cause Ohio. “The COVID-19 pandemic creates new hurdles for Ohio voters and election administrators, but there are clear solutions to make sure our elections are safe and accessible to every eligible voter.”

“Voters should not have to choose between their health and their right to vote, and officials can protect both,” said Mike Brickner, Ohio state director of All Voting is Local. “Now is the time for elected officials to take bold steps to ensure the accessibility of future elections by expanding access to early in-person and vote by mail options. Every eligible voter must have the opportunity to cast a ballot freely and fairly, while protecting the public’s health.”

“Now more than ever, Ohio leaders need to work together to adopt solutions that balance the health of our democracy and all Ohioans,” said Jen Miller, executive director of League of Women Voters of Ohio. “For the benefit of all voters, Ohio must improve the vote-by-mail system, invest in voter education as these dynamics continue to change, and continue to abide by fundamental voter access laws.”

The letter urges action on over two dozen administrative and legislative reforms around absentee voting, early in-person voting, poll workers, emergency preparedness, ADA accessibility, and voter education. These reforms will help administrator elections to protect all Ohioans’ freedom to vote in this time of crisis.

To read the letter, click here.

Signed by:

A. Philip Randolph Institute of Ohio,

Action Together Lakewood Area,

Action Together Stark, 

ACFAN-Athens County Future Action Network, 

All Voting is Local, 

American Promise Ohio, 

America Votes, 

Athens County’s Future Action Network,

Black Lives Matter Cleveland, 

Bold New Democracy, 

Buckeye State Rural,

Campus Vote Project, 

Coalition of Black Trade Unionists – Ohio Region V, 

Columbus Community Bill of Rights, 

Common Cause Ohio, 

Communications Workers of America Dist. 4, 

Cuyahoga County Progressive Caucus,

Crooked River Action, 

Disability Rights Ohio,

Equality Ohio, 

Fair Elections Center, 

Faith In Public Life, 

Freshwater Future, 

GRR (Grass Roots Resistance), 

Hunger Network in Ohio, 

Indivisible CLE, 

Indivisible Columbus District 3,

Indivisible Grove City, 

Indivisible Ohio District 12, 

Indivisible: OH12 East

Innovation Ohio,

IUE-CWA,

LEAD Ohio,

League of Women Voters of Ohio, 

Metro West Community Development Organization, 

Miami Valley Voter Protection Coalition, 

Mobilize the Vote 2020, 

Northeast Ohio Black Health Coalition, 

Northeast Ohio Voter Advocates (NOVA), 

Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans Educational Fund, 

Ohio Coalition of Labor Union Women, 

Ohio Coalition on Black Civic Participation/Ohio Unity Coalition, 

Policy Matters Ohio, 

Ohio Conference of the NAACP

Ohio Environmental Council, 

Ohio Immigrant Alliance,

Ohio Indivisible 15, 

Ohio Organizing Collaborative,

Ohio Voter Fund, 

Ohio Votes, 

Ohio Women with Disabilities Network, 

Ohio Women’s Alliance, 

Ohio Progressive Action Leaders (OPAL), 

Ohio Student Association, 

OPAWL – Building AAPI Feminist Leadership in Ohio,

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio,

Progress Hilliard,

ProgressNEO, 

Single Payer Action Network Ohio,

Solar United Neighbors, 

Southeast Progressives of Franklin County,

The Freedom BLOC

The Ohio Council of Churches, 

Unitarian Universalist Justice Ohio, 

United Returning Citizens, 

Upper Arlington Progressive Action, 

Valley Voices United for Change,

Westshore Fair Elections,

Young Latino Network