Ohios Move To Toss Inactive Voters From Rolls Goes To Supreme Court

[turbinetree]

Source: Talking Points Memo

By Julie Carr Smyth and MARK SHERMAN

Published JANUARY 2, 2018 7:09 AM


COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Joseph Helle was expecting a different sort of reception when he returned home from Army tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and showed up to vote in his small Ohio town near Lake Erie.

His name was missing from the voting rolls in 2011, even though Helle had registered to vote before leaving home at 18 and hadn’t changed his address during his military service.

Helle, now the mayor of Oak Harbor, Ohio, is among thousands of state residents with tales of being removed from Ohio’s rolls because they didn’t vote in some elections. The Supreme Court will hear arguments Jan. 10 in the disputed practice, which generally pits Democrats against Republicans.

The case has taken on added importance because the parties have squared off over ballot access across the country. Democrats have accused Republicans of trying to suppress votes from minorities and poorer people who tend to vote for Democrats. Republicans have argued that they are trying to promote ballot integrity and prevent voter fraud. Only a handful of states use a process similar to Ohio’s, but others could join in if the high court sides with the state.

Read more: http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/ohio-move-toss-inactive-voters-rolls-heads-supreme-court

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This and the Wisconsin gerrymandering case coming down the pike should really show what the Roberts court is all about when it comes to the Voting

[Hoyt]

1. Looks like Ohio does not purge one for at least 6 years of no voting.

I don't have a real problem with that.

People move a lot and don't tell the country registrar when they do. The voter list can get stale very quickly. I get Helle was in military, but he should have checked his status upon returning (and local Democratic organizations should constantly remind people to do so and help them if they have a problem).

In Ohio, one can check their registration status and register/re-register by mail or on-line. It's not that big of a deal for most folks, and local organizations can, and should, be helping those who are disabled, elderly, etc. Now gerrymandering is a different story.

[SharonAnn]

2. That is solved when voting by matching current ID with registered address. Not a big deal.

I've been Election Officer here for 16 years and sometimes we have to send people away if their address has changed outside our precinct and they didn't re-register.