Ohio Supreme Court upholds new ballot drop box rules

(The Center Square) – The Ohio Supreme Court on Tuesday sided with Secretary of State Frank LaRose and upheld new directives for ballot drop boxes across the state.

In a 4-3 ruling, the court upheld LaRose’s recent rule that stopped authorized people from using a drop box to return an absentee ballot for someone with a disability. Instead, those people must go inside the board of elections to return the ballot and complete an attestation form.

Previously, people authorized to deliver ballots on behalf of a family member or a voter with a disability could deliver the ballot to a drop box.

The court dismissed the suit filed by two voters and the Ohio Democratic Party, saying it came too late because absentee voting began Oct. 8. As previously reported by The Center Square, the suit was filed late last month.

LaRose said the ruling and the directive protect against abuse.

“I’m grateful the court has allowed us to proceed with our efforts to protect the integrity of Ohio’s elections,” LaRose said in a statement. “Political activists tried once again to dismantle the safeguards we’ve put in place, specifically in this case against ballot harvesting, and they’ve been rejected. This is the same policy that’s been used successfully in other states, and it’s designed to protect both individuals and election officials from accusations of illegal voting. The court’s decision should reinforce the confidence Ohio voters have in the security, honesty, and accountability of our elections.”

LaRose’s directive to all county boards of elections, board members, directors and deputy directors addressed what he called ballot harvesting, which is when others collect absentee ballots and deliver them for voters.

Ohio ballot drop boxes are unmanned but are under 24-hour video surveillance.

Democrats and the plaintiffs say the directive violates state law, the Ohio Constitution, and the Voting Rights Act.