Democracy Champion Marc Elias Files Lawsuit Challenging New Voter ID Law in Ohio
When Gov. Mike DeWine last week signed what’s been called the nation’s strictest voter ID law, it raised fears that it would disenfranchise large numbers of voters in poor communities where people are less likely to meet the new requirements.
Those fears seem to be supported by a September report that estimates 1 million Ohioans have suspended licenses because of debts from things such as a lack of insurance, unpaid fines, and court costs. That’s in a state with 8 million registered voters.
The analysis, by the Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, said the suspensions by far fall most heavily on impoverished urban communities of color. In other words, debt-related suspensions disproportionately affect some of the communities least likely to vote for the Republican officials who passed and signed the voter ID law.
❋DeWine and Republicans said the law would “boost public confidence in elections.”
❋Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose found less than 0.0005% possible fraud in the 2020 election.
❋Voters now must have a driver’s license, state ID, passport or military ID to cast a vote.
❋University IDs didn’t make the list of acceptable IDs.
❋Huge numbers of Ohioans have licenses that are suspended for debt-related reasons.
