COLUMBUS, Ohio — Voting rights groups in Ohio are calling on Gov. Mike DeWine to veto a part of the budget that would ban public-private partnerships when it comes to voter registration and education.
DeWine has some big decisions about what stays and what goes in the next two-year state budget. Among them, a provision that would not allow local boards of elections to work with or accept money from a regular citizen to help get out the vote.
"I think it's going to be harmful for voters all across the state," said Desiree Tims, President and CEO of Innovation Ohio, a non-profit organization that promotes progressive politics and policy.
Tims said the language is written so broadly that it will likely prevent voter registration and education drives that have been going on for years with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the League of Women Voters and even Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose to name a few.
LaRose promoted voter registration in the the last election at local breweries.
"We don't share their interpretation of that amendment," a spokesperson for LaRose said.
Tims believes the intent of the ban is clear.
"There is no need to ban non-governmental entities from working in partnership or in cooperation with the local boards of election except for the goal of suppressing more voters," Tims said.
Ohio House Majority Floor Leader Bill Seitz, R-Cincinnati, said the idea came about because conservatives wanted to stop efforts like Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg who poured hundreds of millions of dollars into a non-profit which then distributed the money to different cities and counties across the country in the last election cycle.
"That money was not evenly distributed and was disproportionately spent to boost turnout and to affect the election in the liberal precincts to the exclusion of the conservative precincts," said Seitz.
When asked why Republicans want to restrict that type of participation instead of just trying to encourage those on the right side to do the same thing, Seitz responded, "Well because the liberal left has far more money than the right."
DeWine has until 11:59 Wednesday night to make any changes to the budget before he must sign it by law.
Tims said she "would be extremely disappointed but not surprised" if DeWine does not veto the provision "because we're seeing a coordinated attempt amongst Republicans around the country working aggressively to suppress people from voting and this is just another measure, another tool and another step in that direction of suppressing the vote and cheating Ohioans out a fair process."