COLUMBUS, Ohio— A federal judge has ruled in favor of upholding the constitutionality of significant elements within Ohio’s comprehensive election law enacted last year. The decision, issued on Monday by U.S. District Court Judge Donald Nugent, dismissed a challenge brought by the Democratic law firm Elias Law Group against stringent new photo ID requirements, restrictions on drop boxes, and tightened deadlines related to absentee and provisional ballots.
Judge Nugent determined that Ohio’s new photo ID requirement “imposes no more than a minimal burden, if any, for the vast majority of voters.” The legal challenge, filed last year on behalf of groups representing military veterans, teachers, retirees, and the homeless, asserted that the law placed “needless and discriminatory burdens” on the right to vote.
The lawsuit was filed on the same day that Republican Governor Mike DeWine signed the legislation into law, despite objections from voting rights, labor, environmental, and civil rights groups that had urged a veto.
In his ruling, Judge Nugent emphasized that voters do not have a constitutional right to a mail-in voting option or early voting. He added that Ohio’s new absentee ballot schedule remains more generous than that of 30 other states.
Regarding the limitation of ballot drop boxes to a single location per county, the judge argued that the claim that it harmed voters was misplaced, pointing out that the 2023 law marked the first instance of Ohio allowing drop boxes.
While this statement is accurate, it’s worth noting that the 2023 law codified a single-drop box limit per county following a protracted battle over the issue. In the lead-up to the 2020 election, courts criticized Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose for imposing the single-box limit, deeming it unreasonable and arbitrary. Democrats and voting rights groups had advocated for multiple drop box locations, especially in populous counties, to facilitate voting during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Derek Lyons, president and CEO of Restoring Integrity and Trust in Elections, a group co-founded by Republican strategist Karl Rove, lauded the ruling, stating, “RITE is very proud to have helped defend Ohio’s important and commonsense election law. With Ohio courts affirming the new law, voters can have confidence Ohio’s elections are an accurate measure of their will.”