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Voting overhaul bill advances; House will vote next week

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By William Hershey, Staff Writer 10:47 PM Tuesday, November 10, 2009

COLUMBUS — On a 7-6 party line vote, a House committee has approved a major overhaul of the state’s election system, setting the stage for a vote by the full House next week.

“I really do think we tried to take into consideration cost, common sense (and) streamlining,” House Elections and Ethics Committee Chairman Dan Stewart, D-Columbus, said after the vote Tuesday, Nov. 10.

Committee Democrats all voted “yes” while Republicans all voted “no.”

Rep. Seth Morgan, R-Huber Heights, objected to a provision that would authorize online voter registration. Morgan said it could lead to fraud.

House Bill 260 covers early voting, voter registration, voter identification, overseas and military voting and other issues.

While majority Democrats have the votes to get the bill through the House, it’s unclear whether final agreement can be reached with the Republican-controlled Senate. The Senate is considering a less comprehensive overhaul.

Stewart said he was “guardedly optimistic” that lawmakers could get a bill to Gov. Ted Strickland by the end of the year in order to make changes effective for the May 2010 primary.

While lawmakers could continue working on the bill next year, chances of reaching agreement during an election year are considered slight.

Key provisions of House Bill 260

Ohioans would have 28 days before an election to vote early, either in person or by mail.

Early voting would end on the Monday before a Tuesday election.

Counties could have up to four early voting locations.

It creates online voter registration and sets up a process for registering voters who graduate from high school, visit agencies such as the departments of health or job and family services or obtain driver’s licenses.

To vote, Ohioans would be required to show government- or school-issued photo identification or provide their birth dates, signatures and the last four digits of their Social Security or driver’s license numbers.

It puts Ohio in compliance with federal legislation on overseas and military voting by ensuring that absentee ballots for these voters be ready 45 days before an election.

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