An official website of the Cuyahoga County government. Here’s how you know
Cuyahoga County Council Passes Ed FitzGerald’s Voting Rights Law
Media contacts:
Rich Luchette: (216) 698-5637, (216) 797-0931, or rluchette@cuyahogacounty.us
CLEVELAND – Cuyahoga County Council voted 8-3 Tuesday evening to pass legislation introduced by County Executive Ed FitzGerald that will ensure all registered voters continue to receive vote-by-mail applications regardless of state government restrictions.
“Tonight, we sent a clear message to Columbus – Cuyahoga County will not be intimidated when it comes to protecting the right to vote,” said FitzGerald. “This fight is just getting started, and I am looking forward to continuing to work with the members of our County Council to stand up to anyone who wants to suppress the vote in Ohio.”
Earlier this year, the Ohio General Assembly passed and Governor John Kasich signed into law legislation that bars county boards of elections from sending out vote-by-mail applications to voters. In effect, the new restriction requires the General Assembly to authorize funding for the Secretary of State to complete this task – leaving no alternative for distributing unsolicited vote-by-mail applications.
FitzGerald, who has challenged state restrictions on ballot access three previous times, introduced the Cuyahoga County Voting Rights Law to utilize the county’s home rule powers to promote voter participation and retain the ability to send unsolicited ballot applications.
"Protecting the right to vote is central to ensuring the effectiveness of our democracy," said Councilwoman Sunny Simon, an original co-sponsor of the Cuyahoga County Voting Rights Law. "I applaud County Executive FitzGerald for his leadership on this important issue and look forward to working with him to promote voter participation and protect the rights of all Cuyahoga County residents."
Tonight’s vote is the latest in a series of actions that FitzGerald has taken to stand up against voter suppression in Ohio. After General Assembly Republicans introduced a punitive measure that could cut Cuyahoga County’s Local Government Fund resources by 10% ($1.7 million), FitzGerald requested a federal investigation Tuesday morning into the ongoing series of efforts by state Republicans to restrict mail, early, and provisional voting.
Rich Luchette: (216) 698-5637, (216) 797-0931, or rluchette@cuyahogacounty.us
CLEVELAND – Cuyahoga County Council voted 8-3 Tuesday evening to pass legislation introduced by County Executive Ed FitzGerald that will ensure all registered voters continue to receive vote-by-mail applications regardless of state government restrictions.
“Tonight, we sent a clear message to Columbus – Cuyahoga County will not be intimidated when it comes to protecting the right to vote,” said FitzGerald. “This fight is just getting started, and I am looking forward to continuing to work with the members of our County Council to stand up to anyone who wants to suppress the vote in Ohio.”
Earlier this year, the Ohio General Assembly passed and Governor John Kasich signed into law legislation that bars county boards of elections from sending out vote-by-mail applications to voters. In effect, the new restriction requires the General Assembly to authorize funding for the Secretary of State to complete this task – leaving no alternative for distributing unsolicited vote-by-mail applications.
FitzGerald, who has challenged state restrictions on ballot access three previous times, introduced the Cuyahoga County Voting Rights Law to utilize the county’s home rule powers to promote voter participation and retain the ability to send unsolicited ballot applications.
"Protecting the right to vote is central to ensuring the effectiveness of our democracy," said Councilwoman Sunny Simon, an original co-sponsor of the Cuyahoga County Voting Rights Law. "I applaud County Executive FitzGerald for his leadership on this important issue and look forward to working with him to promote voter participation and protect the rights of all Cuyahoga County residents."
Tonight’s vote is the latest in a series of actions that FitzGerald has taken to stand up against voter suppression in Ohio. After General Assembly Republicans introduced a punitive measure that could cut Cuyahoga County’s Local Government Fund resources by 10% ($1.7 million), FitzGerald requested a federal investigation Tuesday morning into the ongoing series of efforts by state Republicans to restrict mail, early, and provisional voting.
