Organization
for Women
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National
Organization for Women |
ELECTION REFORM |
December 13, 2005 the Republican majority in the Ohio Senate passed by a vote of 21-11 the complicated and lengthy House Bill 3. This bill is currently being debated in the House and Senate Conference Committee. After the House and Senate reach an agreement, the bill will return to the floor of the House and Senate for a vote. The floor vote is not expected until after the holidays, giving us some time to contact our Ohio House and Senate members. They can be reached by contacting Ohio Legislation
If the bill is passed with provisions hindering a person's right to vote Governor Bob Taft must be stopped from supporting H.B.3.
Statement by Ohio NOW's ally Shaun Tucker, Ohio State Coordinator, People For the American Way-“On behalf of the 25,000 Ohio members of People For the American Way and our coalition allies, I must express disappointment that the Senate would push through such a massive omnibus bill without taking them time to allow adequate consideration of how this will affect Ohio voters."
"We are very concerned about several provisions in HB 3, including the burdensome restrictions on third party voter registration, the elimination of the requirement for random audits of voting machines, and the voter ID provisions. While HB 3 does not follow the disturbing national trend of requiring every voter to show ID - a practice that could disenfranchise millions - the voter ID provisions are far too complicated, and rely far too much on a single piece of mail that cannot be forwarded."
"HB 3 will result in a sharp increase in the use of provisional ballots - a long step in the wrong direction. We know from the last election that 22 percent of provisional ballots were thrown out. Those votes simply were not counted. That’s an unacceptable outcome. The passage of House Bill 3 is a temporary setback."
Ohio NOW encourages you to contact your House and Senate Member right now, but if H.B. 3 passes out of the Conference Committee, Ohio NOW calls on Governor Bob Taft to veto this legislation, and for the Ohio Senate and Ohio House to work together for election reform that all Ohioans can agree to.
We encourage you to let Governor Bob Taft know your opposition to this bill. Contact him at: Gov. Bob Taft, 30th floor, 77 S. High St., Columbus, OH 43215-6117, call 614-466-3555 or visit Send a message to Gov. Taft
For a copy and analysis of H.B. 3 visit: Ohio Legislation