COLUMBUS, OHIO — With the August 8 Special Election quickly approaching, the Ohio Voter Rights Coalition is ensuring Ohio voters know about the recent changes to early vote hours and informing voters about the nonpartisan Election Protection 866-OUR-VOTE hotline.
Earlier this year, Governor DeWine signed HB 458 into law, which eliminated the Monday before an Election Day as an option for early voting, in addition to enacting a new strict voter ID law. This year, more than 155,000 individuals have voted early already, either by mail or in person, which is five times higher turnout compared to the primary election in August 2022. Understanding the notably high turnout for this special election, it is vital for Ohio voters to be equipped with the most up-to-date resources, dates, and times so they can make a plan to cast their ballot.
The Ohio Voter Rights Coalition is answering that call by raising the flag on all the voting changes enacted earlier this year, particularly the elimination of the final day of early voting. Through sharing information on their social media channels, deploying knowledgeable volunteers into communities through a Speaker’s Bureau, sending notices to the groups in the coalition, and providing them with materials to share in their networks, OVRC is tackling voter education from all sides.
As absentee and early voting are in full swing, and as many Ohioans navigate new voting laws and prepare to cast their ballots on Election Day, it is critical to share the nonpartisan Election Protection 866-OUR-VOTE hotline with as many voters as possible in case they have questions or experience problems at the polls.
The Ohio Voter Rights Coalition has recruited more than 300 volunteers around the state to serve as nonpartisan poll monitors and peacekeepers for the August special election. In addition to the Election Protection hotline, these trained volunteers serve as another resource to voters on the ground at polling places to ensure every vote counts and proactively address threats of intimidation and violence at the polls.
The 866-OUR-VOTE hotline is the nation's largest nonpartisan hotline that Ohio voters can call to speak with someone trained to answer questions and resolve voting issues. There are also language hotlines in Spanish, Arabic, and Asian languages.
The nonpartisan Election Protection coalition has over 300 partner organizations who collectively work year-round to ensure that all voters have an equal opportunity to vote and have that vote count. You can learn more about Election Protection at www.866ourvote.org.
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The Ohio Voter Rights Coalition is a non-partisan network of local, state, and national voter advocates dedicated to ensuring that all elections are modern, secure, and accessible to all Ohioans. The Ohio Voter Rights Coalition Steering Committee includes Ohio Voice, League of Women Voters of Ohio, Common Cause Ohio, All Voting is Local Ohio, and the ACLU of Ohio. For more information, visit ohiovoterrights.org.
