Delaware County Review

State Senators Andrew Brenner and Theresa Gavarone have introduced Senate Bill 324, aiming to enhance the security of Ohio's election system. The bill is part of ongoing efforts to ensure safe and reliable elections in the state.

"We take pride in maintaining safe and secure elections," stated Brenner. "This legislation will strengthen the Buckeye State's election laws and add protections so that Ohioans continue to know there is a reliable system in place when they cast their vote."

Gavarone emphasized Ohio's leading role in election management, saying, "Ohio is the gold standard when it comes to running elections." She added that Senate Bill 324 aims to improve specific areas of election law, including enforcing citizenship requirements as per the state constitution. "This is a simple fix that strengthens trust and integrity in our institutions," she noted.

The proposed legislation mandates voters to provide proof of citizenship when registering or updating their voter registration. If this proof is not available, voters can cast a provisional ballot but must submit proof for it to be counted.

Additionally, Senate Bill 324 stipulates that absentee ballots must be either hand-delivered or mailed back to election officials. It also requires any assistant delivering another person's ballot to sign a form confirming their legal eligibility to do so.

The bill will next be referred to a committee for further consideration.