Ohio Gun Owners Opposes Fake Election Security Amendments Unless Mail-In Ballot Loophole Is Closed
OGO says H.J.R. 9 and S.J.R. 10 must require photo ID for every form of voting in Ohio, including absentee mail-in ballots.
Bottom line: if photo ID is required at the polling place, that same standard must apply to mail-in ballots, too.
Tell Ohio Politicians: Close the Mail-In Ballot Loophole
H.J.R. 9 and S.J.R. 10 must be amended to require photo ID for every form of voting in Ohio, including absentee mail-in ballots. No loopholes. No half-measures. No fake election security.
Ohio gun owners need to make their voices heard right now. Contact your politicians and demand they oppose H.J.R. 9 and S.J.R. 10 unless the mail-in ballot loophole is closed.
LANCASTER, OH — Ohio Gun Owners announced today that the organization opposes House Joint Resolution 9 and Senate Joint Resolution 10 unless the resolutions are amended to require photo identification for every form of voting in Ohio, including absentee mail-in ballots.
H.J.R. 9 and S.J.R. 10 are being sold to Ohio voters as constitutional amendments to require voter identification.
But as currently written, these resolutions require photo ID for in-person voting while leaving absentee mail-in ballots under a much weaker, and easily exploitable, standard.
“That is not election integrity. It is a loophole.”
Ohio Gun Owners says that is not election integrity, it is a loophole.
And if legislative Republicans refuse to close it, they will be responsible for advancing a fake “election security” amendment that does not fully secure Ohio elections.
“Requiring photo ID at the polling place is basic election security, and that same standard must apply to mail-in ballots, too.”
said Chris Dorr, Executive Director of Ohio Gun Owners.
“There is no serious argument for making one voter prove their identity with photo ID while allowing another ballot to come through the mail under a weaker standard. That is not secure. That is not consistent. And Ohio gun owners are not going to be fooled by it.”
Ohio Gun Owners is calling on Republican majorities in both chambers to amend H.J.R. 9 and S.J.R. 10 before advancing the resolutions any further.
If Ohio is going to ask voters to place voter ID requirements into the Ohio Constitution, then those requirements must apply across the board.
That means photo ID must be required for:
- In-person voting
- Early voting
- Absentee mail-in voting
Anything less leaves Ohio elections vulnerable, undermines voter confidence, and gives pro-gun voters every reason to believe their lawful votes can be watered down by ballots that are not held to the same verification standard.
“Republicans in Columbus have spent years telling voters they care about secure elections. Well, now they have a chance to prove it.”
“If they knowingly advance these resolutions while leaving the absentee mail-in ballot loophole wide open, then they are not securing elections. They are dropping the ball in front of the whole state.”
Ohio Gun Owners says secure, accurate, and fair elections are a gun rights issue because the politicians elected to represent gun owners back home are the same politicians who vote on both pro-gun and gun-control bills alike.
Second Amendment rights are not protected by empty slogans, they are protected through elections.
And those elections must be secure.
“When potentially fraudulent votes are allowed to water down or cancel out the votes of pro-gun American patriots, the political voice of gun owners is being attacked.”
“And when the political voice of gun owners is attacked, the Second Amendment is in danger.”
Ohio Gun Owners members and supporters expect Ohio’s elections to be secure, accurate, and fair.
They expect Republicans to close obvious loopholes instead of pretending they do not exist.
And Ohio voters expect every politician who claims to support election integrity to prove it with their vote.
OGO will score votes on H.J.R. 9, S.J.R. 10, and any related amendments for future elections.
OGO is also making clear that votes on H.J.R. 9, S.J.R. 10, and any related amendments will be scored as Tier One votes for future elections.
“Let me be very clear,” Dorr said.
“If legislative Republicans refuse to close this loophole, Ohio gun owners will not forget it. If they pass a constitutional amendment that protects in-person voting while leaving mail-in ballots under a weaker standard, they will own that failure. And Ohio Gun Owners will score it.”
Ohio Gun Owners is urging members of the Ohio House and Ohio Senate to oppose H.J.R. 9 and S.J.R. 10 unless and until the resolutions are amended to require photo ID for every form of voting in Ohio, including absentee mail-in ballots.
“Do it right, or vote no.”
“Ohio gun owners are done accepting half-measures from politicians who campaign like conservatives and govern like cowards.”
Ohio gun owners cannot sit this one out.
If Republican politicians want to put voter ID into the Ohio Constitution, they need to do it right. Tell them to close the mail-in ballot loophole or vote no.