The battle around mailing out absentee ballot requests is heating up. Last week, Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald announced that he was going to have Cuyahoga County send out absentee requests if Secretary of State Jon Husted continued to ban the Board of Elections from sending out absentee ballot requests. (You can read the full story here)
On Friday, Husted came back swinging against Executive FitzGerald in an interview with Ohio Public Radio.
From the Plain Dealer:
Asked on Friday what legal power he has to keep Cuyahoga County from continuing with its mailing plans, Husted told Ohio Public Radio Friday his office is looking at "prohibiting the board from processing the applications because they're not consistent with the law."
"There are lots of things that could be done that we're exploring, but we don't need a controversy over this. It seems like we can all agree on a set of uniform standards and live by them, and that's what I hope Cuyahoga County will do in the end."
FitzGerald's reponse and Husted's counter after the jump.
On Saturday, FitzGerald also went to Facebook and posted this response to Husted's comments:
"A few quick facts: First, the money for mailing these ballots has been in the budget since 2010, and no additional funds will be spent. Money the county has saved by reducing personnel is going towards making up for millions in state cuts to the Local Government Fund, increasing economic development efforts, our law enforcement initiative, and making up for state cuts in early childhood education. Second, this program was instituted in larger counties across Ohio after the fiasco at the polls in 2004, which resulted in totally unacceptable delays and long lines at the polls, wherein some people lost their right to vote. After it was implemented in 5 counties across Ohio, voting by mail participation skyrocketed, dramatically reducing same-day voting chaos. It was never a "partisan" issue until this year, and was lauded by local Republicans. In fact, the senior Republican member of our Board of Elections, as well as one of our Republican members of County Council *, have endorsed this effort. Third, approximately 47% of voters in 2010 voted by mail. If the state is concerned about other counties not choosing to mail out applications, they could easily grant them the funds to do so, instead of balancing their budget by keeping more of our local money in Columbus. "Partisan" organizations such as the League of Women voters recognize that this program is a recognized best practice. The state's attempt in this matter, if it continues, will once again make Ohio known for attempts at voter suppression."
On Sunday, Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald held a press conference to blast Husted's comments and call for a Federal Investigation by the Department of Justice. Saying that not processing some absentee ballot requests would sow confusion and violate the Federal Voting Rights Act.
From WOIO in Cleveland:
"That comment stepped way over the line," FitzGerald said today. "The fact is, Jon Husted can't order the Board of Elections to refuse to allow citizens to vote by mail. For him to suggest that he can creates a real risk of sowing confusion among Cuyahoga County residents about this election."
"Jon Husted may not like the fact that we are offering our constituents better service by sending everyone an application to vote by mail. But that doesn't give him the right to threaten to disenfranchise our citizens and create confusion," FitzGerald said.
FitzGerald said he is in the process of forwarding a transcript of the Ohio Public Radio interview to members of Cuyahoga County's delegation to Congress. He said the comments raise questions about voters' rights and voter suppression that merit a review by the U.S. Department of Justice.
"We would all be better off if he walks that statement back," FitzGerald said.
On Monday, Husted countered with this statement:
"Mr. Fitzgerald's accusations are laughable. It is important that voters in all 88 counties be given equal access to a ballot and I will work to uphold that standard, even in the face of rogue actors like Mr. Fitzgerald. Let me provide reassurance and be perfectly clear, every legal absentee ballot application received by boards of elections will be processed and a ballot will be sent."
The Cuyahoga County Council voted today at 4 pm on whether to send out the absentee ballot request or not. They are expected to approve the measure as more than Council members have sponsored the bill than are needed to pass it. We will post more info as it comes out.
HUGE H/T to our Northern Ohio friends at Ohio Daily Blog and Writes Like She Talks for being ALL OVER this story. Please make it a point to visit them and read more context and the latest breaking news about this story.
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