The Ohio Secretary of State, Jennifer Brunner, has finished preparing a massive 252-page bill of election law revisions. The draft includes a substantial easing of ballot access for new and previously unqualified political parties. It lowers the petition to one-fourth of 1% of the last gubernatorial vote. It lowers the vote test to 1% of any statewide race at either of the last two elections.
The bill won’t have a bill number until it is formally introduced. Whether or not the bill goes into effect before the 2010 election is not determined yet. That depends on how fast the bill becomes law (assuming it does pass). The legislature is not sitting until September, but it is technically considered to be in session now, for the purpose of introducing bills. Thanks to Kevin Knedler for this news.
Bravo, Buckeye state and its Jennifer Brunner. Ohio has come a long way since it saw the most draconian law in
the history of ballot access overturned in Williams v. Rhodes (1968).
I know the bar was set low from Blackwell, but Brunner has done a fair job. I’m going to have to ask my legislators to read her report…