Rep. Fudge Asks Attorney General Eric Holder to Examine Restrictive Voting Bills in Ohio

WARRENSVILLE HEIGHTS, OH- Today, Congresswoman Marcia L. Fudge (OH-11) sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder asking him to examine House Bill 269 and Senate Bill 238, two pending bills in Ohio, which impose photo identification restrictions and reduce early voting days, respectively.

In her letter, Congresswoman Fudge says the proposed legislation will impede the voting ability of minorities, students and the elderly.

“It is clear that these restrictive voting laws will impact hundreds of thousands of voters in Ohio, a significant portion of them African American, who have voted in record numbers during recent elections,” said Congresswoman Fudge. “Therefore, I strongly urge Attorney General Holder to intervene before these bills disenfranchise so many Ohioans, and obstruct a free and healthy democracy.”

House Bill 269 has a strict requirement for each voter to produce a photo identification card although more than 900,000 Ohioans lack such documentation, according to a 2012 Policy Matters Ohio study. One of every four, or 260,000, eligible African American, and 290,000 senior voters would be adversely impacted. Ultimately, this constraint is a poll tax that violates the 14th Amendment.

Senate Bill 238 will eliminate Golden Week, a time Ohioans can register to vote and cast a ballot simultaneously. This practice, used by African American and low-income voters at high rates, limits access to the polls to 28 or 29 days rather than the current 35. Republicans have cited voter fraud as a concern, but not one prosecuted case of fraud has stemmed from Golden Week.

“In a swing state with a history of legislators manipulating voting laws to limit access, these two recent legislative maneuvers are particularly troubling,” Congresswoman Fudge said. “If enacted, House Bill 269 and Senate Bill 238 would effectively disenfranchise voters because of their race, age or economic status. They fly in the face of decades of efforts to eliminate obstacles to voter participation, not create new ones.”

See here for a copy of the letter sent to Attorney General Holder.

###