Responsive Gov’s Grade TL;DR

The Ohio General Assembly took a break from enacting any new election-related laws during this past session after passing significant anti-voter legislation during the 2022 lame duck session. The secretary of state, however, took action to make the state’s voter rolls less secure and accurate by resigning the state’s membership in ERIC, which is why Ohio received a C- on this year’s progress report.

Looking Back

Where Ohio Started at the Beginning of 2023

• Automatic Voter Registration: No
• Online Voter Registration: DMV ID
• Same-Day Registration: No
• Restoration of Rights: Prison Disenfranchisement
• Vote by Mail: No-Excuse
• Electronic Registration Information Center Member: Yes
• Early Voting Opportunities: In-Person Absentee
• ID Requirements: Strict Non-Photo ID

Relying on the Cost of Voting Index for Ohio as of 2022, we considered the state a bottom tier state for pre-existing voting policy and compared its 2023 activity against other bottom tier states.

How Our Tier Compares

• COVI (2022): 41st
• EPI Score (2020): 26th
• CLC State Scorecard (2022): 7/10
• MAP Democracy Rating (2022): FAIR

2023: This Past Year

Legislative Action

• The General Assembly did not pass any significant election-related laws during the 2022 session.

Executive Action

• Although Secretary of State LaRose stated earlier last year that the Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC) is “one of the best tools that we have for maintaining the accuracy of our voter files,” only a few weeks later he reversed course and announced the state would be leaving the group in March. This change will make Ohio’s voter rolls less secure and more inaccurate.