Thousands of Ohio absentee voter applications denied over problems with signatures

[TexasTowelie]

By Julie Carr Smyth


Thousands of Ohio voters were held up or stymied in their efforts to get absentee ballots for last year’s general election because of missing or mismatched signatures on their ballot applications.

The signature requirement on such applications is a largely overlooked and spottily tracked step in Ohio’s voting process, which has shifted increasingly to mail-in ballots since early, no-fault absentee voting was instituted in 2005.

To supporters, the requirement is a useful form of protection against voter fraud and provides an extra layer of security necessary for absentee balloting.

To detractors, it’s a recipe for disenfranchisement — a cumbersome addition to an already stringent voter identification system.

Read more: https://www.dispatch.com/news/20191216/thousands-of-ohio-absentee-voter-applications-denied-over-problems-with-signatures
(Columbus Dispatch)

[rzemanfl]

1. I haven't trusted Ohio since 2004. n/t

[safeinOhio]

2. Time for a Right-to-Vote law for Ohio.

IF you are not allowed to vote, you do not have to pay local and state taxes until you do get to vote in the next election.
One of the principles this country was founded on is "no taxation without representation".

I'm sure local governments would make sure you get to vote if you were to hit them in the wallet.

[Firestorm49]

3. We need to make voting a key issue, not later, but now.

The party needs to be placing voter registration ads all around the country as well as screaming about the importance of voting. The Republicans are at war with America, and it seems we’re too complacent about the urgency.

Their actions are being played out. Ours need a good shot of adrenaline.

[Backseat Driver]

4. Used a new system here that did away with the

sign-in book in favor of a digital device sign-in signature similar to the customer-worn credit card POS stylus signature. As you can guess, my stylus signature with a squiggly sensitive new digital screen bore little resemblence to my well-controlled ink version. Should I now be more worried than ever about purging not so much on presentation of my photo ID but how my signature looks, especially in a very gerrymandered district of my county? I guess the answer would be to just keep random but often checking the roll? I encourage that in any case, everywhere you live! Don't take your precious vote for granted!