Overview
- Under the new law, nearly all absentee ballots must reach election offices by poll closing on Election Day, with a narrow exception for military and overseas voters.
- Gov. Mike DeWine said he signed the bill reluctantly to avoid possible conflicting rules for state and federal races if the Supreme Court upholds a ruling against post–Election Day counting in a Mississippi case.
- Voting-rights groups and Democratic officials warn the change will disenfranchise eligible voters and increase provisional ballots, noting recent data showing about 3,000 Cuyahoga County ballots in November would have been rejected under the new deadline.
- The statute also mandates monthly citizenship checks using state data, monthly deceased-voter reports, and challenges to registrants flagged as non-citizens, which local officials and advocates say will strain election administration.
- With Ohio’s change, only 14 states still accept mailed ballots that arrive after Election Day if postmarked by then, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.