Ohio
Ohio has strict laws in place to ensure secure and honest elections for its citizens. State regulations include the allowance of poll watchers, called “observers,” and stringent anti-voter intimidation laws.
Poll Watchers
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Ohio law lays out very specific guidelines of who can be a poll watcher, how they are approved, and what they can do once they’re in a voting location.
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To be eligible to serve as a poll watcher, a person:
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must be a registered voter in the precinct
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can’t be a candidate
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can be appointed by a political party or a group of five or more candidates
Anti-Voter Intimidation Laws
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Voter intimidation and coercion in Ohio is strictly prohibited. If a person is found guilty of violating voter intimidation laws, it is considered a first-degree felony and he or she faces federal charges and up to a year in prison and up to $1,000 in fines.
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Voter intimidation includes:
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physically blocking polling places
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using threatening language in or near a polling place
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yelling at people or calling people names while they are in line to vote
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disrupting or interrogating voters
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looking over people's shoulders while they are voting
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aggressively questioning voters about their citizenship, criminal record, or other qualifications to vote.
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falsely representing oneself as an elections official.
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displaying false or misleading signs about voter fraud and related criminal penalties.
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Ohio laws have been so effective at protecting honest and secure elections that no elections have been overturned.
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Latest Legislation
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Although Ohio has a track record of secure and honest elections, lawmakers continue to introduce legislation that reshapes the way many Ohio citizens exercise their right to vote. A new bill would impose even more restrictions on voting in Ohio, banning returning ballots via drop boxes and barring mail-in voting without an excuse. This will affect how veterans and the elderly cast their votes.
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For more information on Ohio voting laws, click here.