Ohio GOP Loses Bid To Limit Drop Boxes, Will Appeal

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports:

Ohio county boards of elections can offer off-site drop boxes and collection of voters’ absentee ballots, a federal judge ruled today. U.S. District Judge Dan Polster blocked Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s order, which prohibited off-site drop boxes. But the Republican elections chief will appeal.

Democrats and voting right advocates pushed for more drop box locations amid record-setting absentee ballot requests and concerns about U.S. Postal Service delivery.

Polster found that limiting each county to one drop box location had a “disproportionate effect on people of color” living in more populous counties, imposing a “significant burden” on their right to vote.

.@FrankLaRose, this is the THIRD court that has struck down your voter suppression scheme to limit ballot drop boxes in Ohio.

Are you going to continue to fight in court to make it harder for Ohioans to vote? https://t.co/CT7ZLBvlrO

— Sherrod Brown (@SenSherrodBrown) October 9, 2020