Ohio’s August Updates—Defending Voters, Election Protection, and More

Ohio’s Election Protection Results

Common Cause Ohio worked with our Ohio Voter Rights Coalition partners to provide poll monitoring, social media monitoring, peacekeeper presence and a staffed Election Protection Hotline 1-866-OUR-VOTE in August. We’re pleased to report the following numbers:

• We trained 239 Ohioans interested in poll monitoring,
• Regional leads supported on-the-ground efforts in eight counties,
• Poll monitors donated 639 hours to cover 213 shifts at 165 priority locations,
• A dozen trained Peacekeepers were on hand Election Day; seven deployed, and
• Nearly two dozen social media monitoring volunteers joined us and the Civic Listening Institute to combat mis/disinformation.

In the coming weeks, we’ll be sending out more nonpartisan opportunities to get involved in our upcoming election. Thank you if you were part of our August EP efforts!

Redistricting Reform News

• Last week, Attorney General Dave Yost rejected the summary language for the new “Citizens Not Politicians” redistricting initiative. This was not unexpected; the campaign is collecting another 1,000 initial signatures (plus some) to go with the new summary. We’re excited to have started and will keep you updated if another round of signature collection is required.
• The Ohio Redistricting Commission has set September 13 as a date to reconvene to redraw state legislative districts. It has taken more than a year for the Commission to reconvene as ordered by the Ohio Supreme Court. Sec. of State LaRose hopes to have new maps by September 22. Follow the Commission and watch the meeting HERE. As one commentator quipped, this appears to be a serious case of “wait & hurry up”.
• Our statewide Fair Districts Volunteer Huddles is on September 13 at 6 pm. We will discuss the proposed amendment and ways to get involved in the effort to take mapmaking out of the hands of elected officials and create an independent citizens redistricting commission. Register HERE.

Post-Election Monitoring

We received reports of difficulties during the August Special Election. Some problems were the result of voting with the new ID laws. Curbside voting access continues to be a challenge. We also have been closely monitoring Boards of Elections and provisional canvassing across different counties. We are discussing strategies to be sure we can timely and accurately monitor voting results this November. Here are a few articles that may be of interest:

• Ohio elections officials concerned expired ID may thwart voters, Ohio Public Radio, Aug. 29
• ‘The poster child for voter fraud’ gets 3-year prison sentence, News5 Cleveland, Aug. 28
• Ohio elections officials, voter advocates concerned by increase in ballot rejections following new voter ID rule, Cleveland.com, Aug. 23
• Voter ID changes trouble elections board; one-third provisional ballots rejected, The Chronicle-Telegram, Aug. 17
  
•  Recruitment and solid training are key for all elections, Youngstown Vindicator, Aug. 26

In Other News

• The reproductive rights ballot measure saga continues: Not just Ohio: Biased language is the hot new tactic to thwart ballot measures, NC Newsline, Aug. 31
• Common Cause has recently published the results of the 2022 social media monitoring program: Under the Microscope, Election Disinformation in 2022 and What We Learned for 2024

Contact Kelly Dufour, Voting and Elections Manager, at kdufour@commoncause.org to get involved in our Election Protection or Redistricting efforts.