Letter to the Hon. Frank LaRose, Secretary of State of Ohio - Brown, Kaptur, Beatty, Fudge, Ryan Urge Sec. of State Larose to Work with Ohio's Tradespeople, Build Secure Ballot Drop Boxes

Letter

Dear Secretary of State LaRose,

Like you, we have repeatedly heard from Ohio voters and election officials concerned about their ability to locate additional secure ballot drop boxes in their counties. Your refusal to comply with a court ruling that you possess the authority to expand the number of ballot drop boxes in each county has injected considerable uncertainty at an already challenging time for elections officials, working on tight schedules and budgets. Fortunately, there is a solution: the men and women of Ohio State Sheet Metal Workers Locals #24 and #33, as well as the Ohio State Building and Construction Trades Council stand ready to build additional secure ballot boxes, at no cost to the state. We urge you to drop your appeal immediately and work with the skilled and dedicated tradespeople of Ohio to locate additional drop boxes across all 88 counties.

Following your decision to prohibit more than one drop box per county, the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas issued a ruling clarifying the legality and necessity of locating multiple drop boxes in each county.[1] According to the Court's decision, not only is it within your authority to allow boards of election to locate multiple drop boxes in each county, to do otherwise would be "arbitrary and unreasonable". [2]

Ballot drop boxes must be securely constructed in order to prevent tampering. They take time to procure and install, and can often be costly. Your appeal wastes precious time and risks disenfranchising countless working class Ohioans, seniors, and people with disabilities living in geographically distant areas or without access to transportation. Fortunately, Ohio is blessed with scores of talented union tradespeople ready to put their skills to work for the benefit of democracy. Specifically, the Ohio State Sheet Metal Workers Locals #24 and #33, as well as the Ohio State Building and Construction Trades Council are willing to build additional secure ballot drop boxes for the upcoming election at no cost to the state of Ohio. These hard-working men and women have stepped up to support Ohio voters by ensuring that all eligible voters can access the ballot box safely and securely. We urge you to drop your appeal, accept their gracious offer and immediately begin working with County Boards of Election to locate these drop boxes conveniently across all 88 counties in Ohio. Thank you for your prompt consideration of our request.