Ohio GOP board members block plan to pay postage on mail-in ballots

[brooklynite]

Source: The Hill

A postage plan for Ohio's mail-in ballots failed to gain approval from Republicans on a key panel in the state, a move that reportedly makes it all but impossible for ballots to get stamped in time for the November election, The Associated Press reported.

The proposal, put forward by Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose, failed in a 2-4 vote as Republicans on the Controlling Board opposed approving $3 million from a special fund to cover the postage of mail-in ballots. LaRose argued that the cost was within the law, with the fund previously being used to cover the costs of voting machines, poll worker training and other election-related fees.

“A no vote today is a no vote that is over the objection of our bipartisan election officials and over my objection as the state’s chief elections officer,” LaRose said.

LaRose had called his postage funding proposal an “innovative solution” that would make “every mailbox a dropbox for millions of Ohioans." It was a final effort to address a mail-in voting changes needed during the coronavirus pandemic, as previous election changes have stalled in the GOP-controlled state legislature earlier this year.


Read more: https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/516422-ohio-gop-board-members-block-plan-to-pay-postage-on-mail-in-ballots

[elleng]

1. Of course.

[yaesu]

2. fascists are doing everything they can, country wide, to keep people from voting, its the only

way they have a chance to keep their criminal organization in power.

[progree]

3. Why postage really is a big deal -- encyclopedic article

Some of the below are my notes on the article. Some of it are excerpts.

Title: Cost, hassle of stamps questioned as mail-in voting surges, AP, 7/18/20

Not being able to afford stamps. Not being able to order stamps online because of lack of credit card or not having Internet access. Stamps ordered online taking a long time (example: 2 weeks) to arrive [that was back in the good ol' days -Progree]

The postage debate has extended this year to include young voters, who have little experience sending and receiving paper mail and visiting post offices. As part of its lawsuit, the Georgia ACLU submitted statements from young voters who had never used a stamp.

Another complication with requiring stamps is knowing how much postage to use.

Election boards are required by federal postal regulations to include in a voter's packet exactly how much postage is required to return their ballot. Some states, however, require a copy of a valid ID, verification of college enrollment status or notary documentation, and that can add an unknown amount of weight to the ballot, which requires more postage.

Marti Johnson, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Postal Service, said the post office delivers every piece of election mail to its destination — with or without adequate postage. [this was back in July before DeJoy fucked everything up -Progree]

"We are proactively working with state and local election officials on mailing requirements, including postage payment," she said in a statement. "In cases where a ballot enters the mailstream without the proper amount of postage, the Postal Service will collect postage from the appropriate Board of Elections."

Advocates argue that most voters, and particularly voters who fear being disenfranchised, aren't likely to mail a ballot without postage and trust the system to deliver it. [or anyone who follows the news -Progree]

More: https://apnews.com/524741faf588ec3c7b4f9ea759805352