Terra Goodnight · June 21, 2021

Help STOP This Anti-Voter Bill

Like we saw in Georgia and Florida, Ohio House Bill 294 is an all-out partisan assault on our freedom to vote.

Last week, the chamber’s top Democrat even got into a heated altercation with the sponsor of this shameful legislation over the facts about this bill.

The truth? House Bill 294 — Ohio’s anti-voter bill — limits ballot drop boxes, cuts the number of early voting days, cuts off vote-by-mail ballot requests a week earlier than before, and forces Ohioans to show two forms of ID or navigate new, complex ID rules to vote early or by mail.

HB 294 will likely receive an opponent hearing soon, and with little to no advance notice. We need to be ready to flood the hearing with testimony about why the bill is harmful and unnecessary.

Can you testify against this bill? Even without a hearing date, we encourage you to write and submit testimony against HB 294, following this simple process:

SUBMIT TESTIMONY (written-only):

• 1. Write your testimony.
  • See testimony template below.
  • Personalize your testimony: Talk about your voting experiences and why voting is important to you and your friends and family.

• 2. Fill out a witness slip.
  • Copy/paste this generic witness slip into a Word document and email it along with your testimony.
    
• 3. Email your testimony and witness slip to Committee Chair Shane Wilkin’s office: Rep91@OhioHouse.gov 
  • Testimony submitted 24 hours before the next hearing will be shared with committee members at the hearing and posted to the committee website.

—TESTIMONY TEMPLATE—

Chairman Wilkin, Vice Chair White, Ranking Member Sweeney, and members of the House Government Oversight Committee,

Thank you for allowing me to testify today. My name is ________. I am [basic bio about yourself]. I am strongly opposed to House Bill 294 which is currently pending before your committee.

[Then tell them why HB 294 is so bad! Make it short and sweet -  a few paragraphs is perfect. Tell a personal story. Or explain why your voting experience gives you perspective on the bill. Maybe cite statistics or examples of friends and family to back up your claims]

I ask you to consider my testimony and vote NO on this [harmful / dangerous / embarrassing / etc.] bill. Thank you again for the opportunity to testify.

Questions? Email Rachel Coyle: Coyle@InnovationOhio.org