Ohio’s very own state Senator Bill Seitz is tired of activists and hippies and groups who try to petition judges to keep polls open later during elections. It’s frivolous, says Seitz! He wants it to be required that if you are petitioning the court for a vote past deadline, you gotta pay! It’s overtime democracy rates!
Seitz, who already has nine Republican co-sponsors for his bill, said the goal is to prevent what he considers frivolous, last-minute court challenges that keep polls open late and create additional costs for taxpayers. The law also would set a higher standard for proving the need for longer hours and would allow for the immediate appeal of any ruling that extends poll hours.
"There will always be some excuse that some activist judge can seize upon," said Seitz, of Green Township. "Is this intended to retard these last-minute interventions? Yes, it is."
Why is this a bad idea? Who knows, my brain went to bed when Bill Seitz began proposing things. What kind of cash bond would you have to have?
Campaign ActionBurke said he may not always agree with a judge's decision, but Seitz's proposal goes too far. The cash bond requirement means anyone who sues in such a case would post a bond sufficient to cover all election expenses, including wages for every poll worker, up to $22.50 an hour.
In Hamilton County, which had 2,600 poll workers in November, that would come to $58,500. The money would be forfeited if an appeals court later determines polls should not have been kept open longer.
Gotcha. So, you “save” the citizens money by making citizens pay money. That doesn’t sounds like a scam at all. If you live in Ohio, here are the sponsors of the bill so you can identify some people who are trying to restrict your right to vote.
Shannon Jones (R), District 7, Bill Coley (R), District 4, Cliff Hite (R), District 1, Dave Burke (R), District 26, Kevin Bacon (R)—NOT RELATED—, District 3, Kris Jordan (R), District 19, Joe Uecker (R), District 14, Tom Patton (R), District 24, John Eklund (R), District 18