Skip to main content
Global Edition
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Ohio legislators vote against prepaid postage for absentee ballots

Credit: WCPO Cincinnati
Duration: 02:29s 0 shares 2 views

Ohio legislators vote against prepaid postage for absentee ballots
Ohio legislators vote against prepaid postage for absentee ballots

Ohio’s controlling board — a group of lawmakers who approve some budget changes for state agencies — on Monday voted against Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s $3 million plan to provide prepaid postage with every absentee ballot for the November general election.

TODAY -- OHIO SECRETARY OFSTATE FRANK LAROSE DID áNOTGET HIS WAY WITH THE STATE'SCONTROLLING BOARD.

THE PANELDENIED HIS REQUEST TO SPEND 3MILLION DOLLARS -- TO COVERPOSTAGE FOR MAIL-INBALLOTS.THE DECISION COMESAFTER HIS OFFICE HAS ALREADYSENT OUT NEARLY 8 MILLIONABSENTEE BALLOT REQUEST FORMS.WCPO 9 NEWS REPORTER WHITNEYMILLER BREAKS DOWN WHAT THISDECISION MEANS.LAROSE HAS BEEN ASKING STATELAWMAKERS SINCE APRIL TO GETPOSTAGE PAID ENVELOPES FOROHIO VOTERS WHO PLAN TO VOTEBY MAIL.

WITHOUT THISPERMISSION IT WOULD COSTVOTERS EITHER 55 OR 70 CENTSTO MAIL IN AN ABSENTEE BALLOT.PKG: "In a way, even thoughit's a small amount, it's avoter tax.

Which I thought weoutlawed those in the lastcentury." PINKY KOCOSHIS ISTHE CO PRESIDENT OF THE LOCALLEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS.SHESAY'S MONDAYS DECISION TO PAYPOSTAGE ON ABSENTEE BALLOTSHELPS INSURE THE RIGHT TO AFREE AND FAIR ELECTION."People don't have to worryabout getting out to getstamps if they don't have anyand it will be an easy way forthem to just get it to theirpost office box." SECRETARYOF STATE FRANK LAROSE CAN NOWUSE UP TO 3 MILLION DOLLARSFROM HIS OFFICE'S BUSINESSSERVICES DIVISION TO SEND OUTPOSTAGE PAID RETURN ENVELOPESWITH ABSENTEE BALLOTS.

"Allthey have to do is vote it,sign it, put it in theenvelope and drop it in themailbox.

That's the bestsolution." A SOLUTION HE SAYSSHOULD ADDRESS CONCERNS THATEACH COUNTY IS ONLY ALLOWED TOHAVE ONE BALLOT DROP BOX."Every mailbox in the statebecomes a dropbox and youdon't have to send people tothe library or to city hall tofind some box they have neverseen before." BECAUSE OF THECORONAVIRUS, LAROSE EXPECTSMORE THAN FOUR MILLION VOTERSCOULD VOTE BY MAIL.

"OnOctober 6th when they firststart sending out the ballotsthey'll be getting a largeportion of them out fairlyearly and we hope that peoplesend them back in.

The keyhere is not procrastinating."Whitney TAG: BACK IN JUNE THEOHIO HOUSE PASSED A BILLPROHIBITING LAROSE FROM PAYINGTHE POSTAGE.

THAT LEGISLATIONIS CURRENTLY PENDING IN THESENATE.

You might like