COLUMBUS, Ohio — Senate Bill 173 would add election workers to the state's list of public service workers, and allow them to redact their personal information from public records. Ohio's political atmosphere prompted State Senator Theresa Gavarone to sponsor the legislation, she said.

What You Need To Know

  • State Sen. Theresa Gavarone said said similar protections are already in place for firefighters, protective services workers and police officers

  • Sen. Andrew Brenner, a former Delaware County Recorder, told Spectrum News 1 he's skeptical of the bill itself

  • The bill, however, would not include those volunteering at the polls as part-time election employees

"Our election officials do such a great job working hard dedicating their time and service to making sure our elections run smoothly," said State Sen. Theresa Gavarone, R-Senate Majority Whip. "But there have been incidents under these divisive times where they've been threatened, harassed and that's simply not acceptable. Just last year in Lucas County, in my own district, someone came in and threatened to shoot up a polling location." 

Aaron Sellers is the public information officer at the Franklin Board of Elections. His office usually doesn't comment on pending bills, he said. But extra protections for election officials can only be taken positively on his end. Although he doesn't know anyone who has been threatened, dealing with regular emails with the job could be threatening to some people, he said.

"My name, email and phone number is on the website," Sellers said, "So, I've gotten calls from all over the country, not a lot. But, you know, after things where some could view it as threatening and somebody may not leave a name or a number to call them back. But, you know, those things can happen to anyone."

Gavarone said similar protections are already in place for firefighters, protective services workers and police officers. 

"It simply protects their personal information," Gavarone said. "Their residence, address from public inspection, and so they can be more comfortable and confident and focus on the work at hand and not on people who may want to do them harm." 

Meanwhile, Sen. Andrew Brenner, a former Delaware County Recorder, told Spectrum News 1 he's skeptical of the bill itself. He said it could be unfair to other Ohioans if some people have a choice to protect their residential information, and other do not. 

"I believe that either they should all be public records or they shouldn't be," said Brenner (R). "I do have some exceptions, and I think with law enforcement, there are certain areas that do need to be protected. And, that's because of just the nature of their business, I'm not certain whether or not — I'm not certain an elections official is that level of standards." 

The bill, however, would not include those volunteering at the polls as part-time election employees.