From Hottinger and Carey:
COLUMBUS – State Representative Jay Hottinger (R- Newark) and State Senator John Carey (R- Wellston) today responded to a directive by Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner pertaining to absentee voting in Ohio, saying that the intent of the legislature was not followed and that voters in smaller counties could be disenfranchised.

“Each and every county throughout the state should be provided clear and consistent guidelines for conducting elections,” Hottinger said. “The legislature clarified this in law and the Secretary of State has misinterpreted our intent. She is essentially allowing counties to pick and choose how they run elections – Ohio voters need consistency, not a patchwork of regulations and confusing directives.”

“The Secretary of State should be looking for ways to make the law work rather than taking steps to make the process more complicated and cumbersome,” Carey said. “As Chairman of the Senate Finance and Financial Institutions Committee I am open to working on any constructive solution the Secretary of State might put forward.”

The intent of the Ohio legislature in House Bill 562 was to ensure that absentee ballot applications be mailed with the 60-day notice for the November election.

In her directive, Secretary Brunner indicated to county boards of election that this practice was optional, further muddying the waters for boards of election throughout Ohio and creating inconsistencies with the application of elections law throughout the state.

“This directive is counterintuitive to the role of our Secretary of State,” Hottinger added. “Secretary Brunner claims to support a smooth and efficient elections process, but her actions and directive seem to indicate otherwise. This November the eyes of the nation – and the world – will be focused on Ohio. We must have a clear, transparent and consistent system in place that affords each and every voter – regardless of where they live – the same opportunities to participate in the electoral process.”

And here’s the directive:

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