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Some changes announced affecting this fall's election.

The race to register voters is on ahead of the deadline next month, and a school district is warned about how it's transporting kids.

As schools deal with a statewide bus driver shortage.

As schools deal with a statewide bus driver shortage.

That's this weekend.

The state of Ohio.

That's this weekend.

The state of Ohio.

Welcome to the state of Ohio.

I'm Karen Kasler.

The November 5th election is less than two months away.

And this week there are two changes that could have an impact on that vote.

The ban on contributions to ballot issue campaigns by foreign nationals, including lawful permanent residents or green card holders, was blocked in part by a federal judge holders, was blocked in part by a federal judge just hours before it was supposed to go into effect September 1st.

Judge Michael Watson wrote the ban violates the First Amendment rights of green card holders, which was a warning the bill's sponsor, Republican Representative Bill Seitz, the bill's sponsor, Republican Representative Bill Seitz, had given, as his fellow Republicans added in that green card provision at the last minute, added in that green card provision at the last minute, leading him to vote against his own bill.

The ban was aimed at dark money and the issue one campaign to change the process of drawing lawmakers district lines.

Republicans who oppose that redistricting amendment note that progressive groups have donated toward it, including the 1630 fund, which gets contributions from a Swiss billionaire.

which gets contributions from a Swiss billionaire.

Governor Mike DeWine had called for a special session in late spring to pass that ban, which he still says is needed.

know, this is something the legislature should look at.

know, this is something the legislature should look at.

And look at, the possibility of enacting a separate piece of legislation of enacting a separate piece of legislation which exempts out those who are carrying a green card.

which exempts out those who are carrying a green card.

But DeWine adds that other proposals to lawmakers from his fellow Republicans Secretary of State Frank Larose, for laws to ban ballot drop boxes completely for laws to ban ballot drop boxes completely and to require proof of citizenship with voter registration are not necessary.

with voter registration are not necessary.

I, I, I have said consistently that I think we do a very good job in Ohio running elections.

And, a very good job in Ohio running elections.

And, I think anyone who wants to change what we do has a burden of proof of showing that there's a there's a problem with what we do now has to be some end to changing rules.

has to be some end to changing rules.

But there will be new limits on the one secure ballot drop box in each county Board of elections this fall.

The Rose issued a directive saying only the voter can deposit the absentee ballot.

They're casting into the drop box, and if it's being delivered by a family member or someone assisting that voter, that person must come into the board office and sign a form confirming that.

Lareau says it's to prevent the practice of absentee ballots being collected and delivered all at once, which is usually done to help elderly and disabled voters or those in rural areas.

elderly and disabled voters or those in rural areas.

The Rose says in the directive that his office will vigorously investigate and refer for prosecution.

will vigorously investigate and refer for prosecution.

Anyone engaged in ballot harvesting, which Republicans have claimed is open to fraud.

which Republicans have claimed is open to fraud.

This week I talked with Jen Miller of the League of Women Voters of Ohio about why voting rights advocates are concerned about that.

The biggest problem is that boards of elections are only open during business hours.

This is going to be very difficult for a lot of working individuals, or folks who just cannot get individuals, or folks who just cannot get to the center of the county during business hours.

to the center of the county during business hours.

The drop boxes are an efficient and secure way of returning not just absentee ballots, but also absentee ballot requests, voter registration forms, candidate filing forms.

requests, voter registration forms, candidate filing forms.

They're used for a wide range of things.

They're 600 pounds.

They're bolted to the ground.

They're bomb and fireproof.

They have 24/7 surveillance, and they are emptied by members of two different political parties.

It is an incredibly secure and direct way It is an incredibly secure and direct way of getting your elections mail to the boards of elections, and it shouldn't be limited to just the voter themselves.

and it shouldn't be limited to just the voter themselves.

Larose says his concern is also about ballot harvesting.

Larose says his concern is also about ballot harvesting.

He told lawmakers in a letter last week that a person could return any number of ballots to a Dropbox by just claiming they got permission of the voters to cast those ballots.

And he wrote that this loophole in the law.

Maybe what the League of Women Voters intended because, quote, your legal strategy seeks to make Ohio's elections quote, your legal strategy seeks to make Ohio's elections less secure and more vulnerable to cheating, especially as it relates to the use of dropboxes.

In this letter, he also encourages state lawmakers to ban ballot drop boxes entirely.

state lawmakers to ban ballot drop boxes entirely.

What is your reaction?

So we have several pieces here.

First and foremost, let's remember that absentee ballots, have really two verification processes.

First, the person has to verify their identity to get the ballot.

And then they have to verify their identity to return the ballot.

And that system is incredibly secure.

And that system is incredibly secure.

The idea of ballot harvesting is this idea that someone could randomly get a whole bunch of ballots, fill them out, put them in a Dropbox, not get caught by the cameras, which is number one.

not get caught by the cameras, which is number one.

They often get caught by the cameras.

But secondly, that they would somehow be able to fake the identity, that they would somehow be able to fake the identity, the signature, and all the personal information of all these voters.

That's highly unlikely.

So that's one thing.

So that's one thing.

Also, my organization, which is 104 years old, has been working on election integrity and security, for since the very beginning.

integrity and security, for since the very beginning.

So many aspects of secure elections are things that we championed.

Like the fact that machines are in a room with one Republican key and one Democrat key, that, with one Republican key and one Democrat key, that, dropboxes are emptied by members of two different political parties.

Cyber security protocols, post election audits, we care deeply about election integrity and security and always will.

So this idea that we somehow would want to make elections less secure is entirely inaccurate.

to make elections less secure is entirely inaccurate.

At the end of the day, we had a lawsuit, and this was seeking a very narrow ruling, the idea that in Ohio, before this judge ruled that a grandchild that in Ohio, before this judge ruled that a grandchild could not return the absentee ballot of their grandparent, could not return the absentee ballot of their grandparent, nieces and nephews could.

But grandkids, grandkid kids couldn't.

And that if a grandkid did, they could face a felony charge.

That's what we are looking at, a very narrow ruling about the elderly and those with mobility challenges and disabilities being able to choose the helper that they need.

Too many Ohioans don't have someone on that limited list, and it could mean the difference between voting and not.

And that was the lawsuit that you won.

And part of that law was then this is the big 458, the big law that, required photo, photo ID.

Limited counties to one ballot, Dropbox, all of these things, that part of that law is not allowed to be enforced.

The judge put a hold on that.

Laura says that's part of why he's put this directive out there now.

But he's also saying he wants to ban ballot drop boxes entirely, which is a switch from in previous years.

He said ballot drop boxes were fine as long as the legislature was okay with them.

What about banning ballot drop boxes?

Again, many conservative states have a lot more drop boxes per county than we do, and drop boxes are incredible secure.

than we do, and drop boxes are incredible secure.

Let's keep in mind that the election process, if if you're using the mail, you might run out of time.

Or maybe you don't have a stamp, or maybe you just really feel better getting it directly to the Board of Elections.

The fact that these are open 24 over seven with surveillance the entire time with surveillance the entire time they are incredibly secure and direct way of they are incredibly secure and direct way of submitting your elections mail to the boards of elections.

They're common sense They're common sense and lawmakers who want to change some of the voting laws that are out there, because there is a big bill that's still in the legislature that would make some other changes.

They say that these changes are necessary to keep Ohio's They say that these changes are necessary to keep Ohio's voting system at the gold standard, that it is that it protects election integrity and nobody's perfect.

We should constantly be striving for more security and integrity.

striving for more security and integrity.

You've raised concerns about a lot of the voting laws that have come forward.

Why not pass some of these changes?

Doesn't that just help with election security?

So we have incredibly secure elections.

And in fact, both the AG and the Secretary of state continue to say that we have the most secure elections in the country, and I agree.

the most secure elections in the country, and I agree.

We have safeguards around every aspect of our elections.

We have the strictest voter ID in the country.

We have very secure absentee voting.

Our machines are not hooked to the internet.

Our machines are not hooked to the internet.

Our boards of elections are bipartisan and run by community servants.

elections are bipartisan and run by community servants.

And and so, when we look at changing elections, we need to look at all of the consequences we need to look at all of the consequences that this idea that we would get rid of dropboxes this idea of folks having to go in and fill out a form.

this idea of folks having to go in and fill out a form.

First and foremost, this is going to cost a lot more money and a lot more staff time for our boards of elections that are already overworked.

It's going to be harder on voters, and it's not actually going to increase security at all.

Any legislative proposal needs to do the due diligence of truly ensuring that it's meeting the goal.

And a lot of the proposals I've seen doesn't would not change, the security of elections, but they would make them more expensive and more challenging for boards of elections and voters alike.

That bill that I referenced, House Bill 374, That bill that I referenced, House Bill 374, would allow the use of hand-counting of ballots if, would allow the use of hand-counting of ballots if, by rather than by machines.

If the Board of Elections made that decision, county commissioners or voters made that decision.

It will require nearly all voters to have a driver's license or state ID when registering to vote or voting by mail, and would ban boards of elections from scanning early ballots before the polls close on Election Day.

Have you has the league seen this bill, and what are your thoughts on it?

So again, one of the challenges with elections is that they're incredibly complex.

The way I like to say it is, it's like a wedding, but you know, all the different details of a wedding, but it's a wedding in every neighborhood in Ohio on the same day.

in every neighborhood in Ohio on the same day.

We can't make these wholesale massive charges to election changes to elections without first thinking about the unintended consequences.

And that bill has all kinds of unintended consequences in terms of cost and challenges to the system, consequences in terms of cost and challenges to the system, without making it more secure.

So one example would be, this hand concept, that's incredibly expensive.

Keep in mind that the way it works today is that there's a paper backup that the way it works today is that there's a paper backup for every vote counted on a machine, for every vote counted on a machine, and so a voter can actually check their paper backup before they even leave.

check their paper backup before they even leave.

And if, elections are close and we need to do a recount, we have those paper backups.

That's a very good way right now that's more efficient for elections officials, that's more efficient for elections officials, but has the backup if we need it.

the great thing about our system that's unlike other states is that, boards of elections can, start processing, basically verifying the identity of absentee basically verifying the identity of absentee ballots, verifying the validity, I should say, of absentee ballots.

And then not counting.

Right.

They just get everything processed and then it takes, They just get everything processed and then it takes, one Republican, one Democrat to make those calculations happen.

But, at the beginning of the night, when we start to see those results come in, that's from those absentee ballots.

If they had to wait to open them, verify the identity of the voters, all those kinds of things, the identity of the voters, all those kinds of things, it would be days and days and days till we would have an idea of accurate vote counts.

And so what it does is it creates more work for boards of elections, makes it harder for reporters and voters and everyone else to know what the results are.

But it's not going to make anything more secure.

We hear often that it's the goal is to make it easy to vote and hard to cheat.

Is it easy to vote in hard to cheat in Ohio?

It really depends on who you are.

It's certainly hard to cheat.

And I'm very proud of the work, actually, that the Secretary of State has done, that the league has advocated for that.

Boards of elections, work on to make sure that there are safeguards.

Throughout the process, cheaters are caught.

Throughout the process, cheaters are caught.

It is very rare, for someone to cheat.

In fact, something like voter impersonation is unheard of.

This idea that someone pretends to be someone else and votes.

Usually it's things like someone forgets that they voted, absentee and then they go on election day.

Things like that sometimes occur with elderly, but it's very hard to cheat it.

with elderly, but it's very hard to cheat it.

It is also sometimes hard to vote.

So especially now that we have the strictest voter ID in the country, that particularly harms people with disabilities who may not drive, the elderly, who may not drive anymore, students who may not want cars.

not want cars.

And so these barriers does mean that some Ohio voters, have a harder time getting to the ballot box.

And at the end of the day, that's our job.

Our job is to make sure that everyone can have their voice heard.

But at the same time that our elections are secure.

And that's a balance that the secretary of state, boards of elections advocates like myself and the legislature needs to strive to.

And we need to be mindful before we make changes.

The deadline to register to vote in Ohio is October 7th.

The deadline to register to vote in Ohio is October 7th.

And organizations are sending out mailers and conducting campaigns trying to rack up new voter registrations.

One of those is the League of Women Voters of Ohio, and they're starting at college campuses.

State House correspondent Joe Ingles went to Delaware to see one of those events.

Register to vote.

As Ohio Wesleyan students walked to class this week, As Ohio Wesleyan students walked to class this week, they saw a colorful 19ft Airstream trailer.

they saw a colorful 19ft Airstream trailer.

Music bubbles and volunteers with clipboards Music bubbles and volunteers with clipboards ready to register them to vote.

The League of Women Voters of Ohio is taking its traveling voter registration effort is taking its traveling voter registration effort to 15 colleges throughout the state before the October 7th registration deadline.

the October 7th registration deadline.

Volunteers are talking to students about the state's new require to show photo ID about the state's new require to show photo ID when voting in person, and are helping students navigate the process of getting absentee ballots if they want them.

of getting absentee ballots if they want them.

Ashley Beiser, co-director of the Arneson Institute for Practical Politics at Ohio Wesleyan, says the university is working to accommodate students who want to vote and making sure their questions are answered.

That's right.

So we're engaged in a couple different kinds of things sort of leading up to the election.

One is obviously making sure that students understand their right to vote.

Whether that's here in Delaware or in their home states, making sure that they have the ability to get their absentee ballot so that they can exercise that right to vote.

But then also, we're really invested in making sure that they have a good understanding of what the issues are that are at stake in the election, so that when they go into the polls or, you know, fill out their ballots, that they, have an understanding of what they care about and how the different candidates fit with that.

On this day, sophomore Ethan Sander is taking a break from his three majors and microbiology, from his three majors and microbiology, free dentistry and psychology to register to vote.

free dentistry and psychology to register to vote.

He says his biggest issue is protecting the environment.

He says his biggest issue is protecting the environment.

Yeah, well, it's important for especially the younger generation to get their voices heard and to make sure, that we are, you know, getting our voices heard and that our opinion is out there and that because we do make a difference as a younger generation and and that that's something that really needs to be pushed more forward both in college and as you grow into adulthood.

Senior Natalie Guyer says human rights are her big issue.

Definitely a lot of women's rights issues because that directly affects me, but also ones that don't directly affect me, like LGBTQ issues and like issues with people of color, human rights issues are also important.

For sophomore Gwendolyn Archer Park.

I feel like a lot of women's rights are very important because I know that's been kind of stripped away lately and like questioning and also like when it comes to social issues and like places like Gaza, that's I think that's very important to kind of talk about as a community.

Freshman Daphne Nonaka, Bruce says as a U.S. citizen, she wants to vote on issues that she says make people feel welcome in this country.

Social issues that have to do with racism, sexism and gender issues.

I want everyone to feel safe, happy and welcome in America.

Oh.

Was.

Beiser says she knows college students are one of the hardest voting blocks to get fully engaged in the process.

voting blocks to get fully engaged in the process.

I think we're pretty typical in that sense.

Students are nervous about talking about politics.

They don't love conflict.

And, so trying to help them see how politics can actually be important to their lives is, is a hard challenge.

be important to their lives is, is a hard challenge.

And so but we're doing our best to help them see the stakes in this election, as well as the ways in which they can get involved.

as well as the ways in which they can get involved.

Exit polls from last year show only about a third of younger voters cast ballots because of their schedules, younger voters cast ballots because of their schedules, a lack of information about how to do it, or something else.

Some students say they know it might be hard to energize their peers to become involved in the political process.

their peers to become involved in the political process.

But Melody Rebello says that difficulty shouldn't be confused with apathy of young voters.

shouldn't be confused with apathy of young voters.

We do care.

A lot of us do care.

A lot of us do care.

I might not be, as I know many people.

I myself might not be as vocal as some people are, I myself might not be as vocal as some people are, but I do care.

It's my life as well.

It's all of our lives.

So we.

We don't care as much as people think.

We don't.

And it's in our hands to make a change in this world, no matter what kind of change it is.

Joe Ingles, statehouse news bureau.

Joe Ingles, statehouse news bureau.

Busses are back on the streets in Ohio carrying both kids, going to classes in the public school district on the side of the bus, as well as kids in the district who are going to private or charter schools.

By law, districts have to transport the latter group.

By law, districts have to transport the latter group.

And that's getting more challenging as taxpayer paid vouchers have been expanded to any family that wants them.

vouchers have been expanded to any family that wants them.

And thousands of families in the Columbus City Schools, the state's largest district, are taking advantage of them.

The district has to transport 37,000 kids, The district has to transport 37,000 kids, 9000 of them in private or charter schools, and they go to 113 Columbus City Schools buildings and they go to 113 Columbus City Schools buildings and up to 167 nonpublic school buildings.

and up to 167 nonpublic school buildings.

The district has declared 1380 private and charter students The district has declared 1380 private and charter students transportation impractical, based on one of six factors such as their homes, distance from the school, or the cost of providing that transportation.

On Thursday, Republican Attorney General Dave Yost filed a lawsuit in the Ohio Supreme Court against the district after issuing an earlier warning that it must resume bussing.

These students or it will be breaking the law.

We've got kids, who are having their plans disrupted.

We've got kids, who are having their plans disrupted.

The solution of will just come back to Columbus City schools because, you know, we're great.

City schools because, you know, we're great.

The parents have already made a decision that they want to avail themselves of one of other the other options that Ohio law allows.

the other options that Ohio law allows.

And this kind of strong arm tactic will not stand.

And this kind of strong arm tactic will not stand.

But this battle showcases a problem that's been going on in districts around the country for the last four years.

And it's getting more challenging in Ohio as families use vouchers.

It's a shortage of school bus drivers like Ben Grace, who's been driving a bus in Columbus for 23 years.

been driving a bus in Columbus for 23 years.

it is a very rewarding career.

I love to schedule Monday through Friday.

I don't have to work any weekends.

So that's a big plus.

Anita Roman also loves the schedule and how the job changes daily.

also loves the schedule and how the job changes daily.

Every day is different.

Every day is different.

I mean, we've got an office with the view guaranteed.

Office with the view.

Who can beat that?

And, the kids just every day is just so, so much fun.

Like, you don't know what's going to come out of these kids mouth.

And, you know, it's it's like a little comedy show with the kids, so it's fun.

it's like a little comedy show with the kids, so it's fun.

And, you'll never be bored.

I promise you'll never be bored working this job.

I promise you'll never be bored working this job.

Roman and Grace also train bus drivers, but not as many as the district needs.

The pandemic, retirements and competition from trucking companies and delivery services have shrunk the number of drivers who want to take on the task of getting dozens of kids to school every day.

of getting dozens of kids to school every day.

Before Covid, there were 760 bus drivers for Columbus City Schools.

As of last week, there are 426 As of last week, there are 426 and more families going to nonpublic schools.

Adds to the workload.

We look at what areas we can offset the driver shortages with and we develop our routes based on the staffing that we have available.

And then we look at the resources that we have through the legislature and things of that nature and the tools and the rules and the guidelines in a revised code that gives us ways to combat the shortage of drivers.

that gives us ways to combat the shortage of drivers.

For instance, they make sure all busses are full, sometimes with one bus doing two routes, are full, sometimes with one bus doing two routes, which makes for long rides for some kids.

And they've had to make some tough calls.

Under state law, we looked at the ineligibility, and that falls under 33, 2701 ineligibility, and that falls under 33, 2701 where it deems that if a charter nonpublic school where it deems that if a charter nonpublic school is more than 30 minutes by direct travel from the school of assignment for that public school, and we had to start using those as part of our tools and we had to start using those as part of our tools to efficiently root for the students that we are 100% obligated to provide transportation for.

that we are 100% obligated to provide transportation for.

that means kids within a two mile radius of their schools, public chartered or private, are not offered transportation.

And some charter and private school parents are getting money to help get their kids to school.

are getting money to help get their kids to school.

it starts out at, I believe it's about 550, $152, it starts out at, I believe it's about 550, $152, and the maximum amount is about $1,121 or so.

and the maximum amount is about $1,121 or so.

But some families say they count on the bus because they can't take their kids, or their kids don't feel safe riding public transit.

or their kids don't feel safe riding public transit.

It really is happening all over the state.

Every school district is taking a different approach to this.

Some districts are taking all of their high school students and putting them on mass transit, which relieves a big burden.

That, and many school districts that I've worked with, are changing bell schedules to increase route time between schools.

to increase route time between schools.

Doug Palmer is the senior transportation consultant for the Ohio School Boards Association.

we're operating in an environment now where schools open up in an environment now where schools open up often, you know, many schools, there are districts that have twice or three times as many nonpublic buildings to serve us now than they did ten or 12 or 15 years ago.

So all of this has an impact on how much a bus can do.

So all of this has an impact on how much a bus can do.

Palmer and stuff will say it's time for a holistic approach to the driver shortage, bringing in districts, private and charter schools and lawmakers who can control the money that comes to schools.

And I really think the collaboration between nonpublic and public schools really has to be at the forefront of our thinking.

schools really has to be at the forefront of our thinking.

We have to think about this differently.

We want children on busses.

We don't want to eliminate bus rides for children.

It's the safest way to get to school.

back on the bus.

Anita Roman is happy to recommend her career choice.

Anita Roman is happy to recommend her career choice.

Well, here you're actually being part of the community Well, here you're actually being part of the community and you're helping a child get their education.

and you're helping a child get their education.

Some children may not have a ride to school at all.

Some children may not have a ride to school at all.

And so I think it's very important to, to make sure that you can give back and help a kid in any way that you can.

and help a kid in any way that you can.

A survey of districts done for the Ohio School Boards Association revealed around 7% report being fully staffed with an adequate number of substitute drivers.

staffed with an adequate number of substitute drivers.

Nearly a third of districts needs SOBs and extra trips to transport all students.

needs SOBs and extra trips to transport all students.

In about 13% of districts, office staff and mechanics are driving regular routes.

staff and mechanics are driving regular routes.

And about 9% of districts say no solution to the bus driver shortage is working.

say no solution to the bus driver shortage is working.

And that is it for this week for my colleagues at the Statehouse News Bureau of Ohio Public Radio and Television.

Thanks for watching.

Please check out our website at State news.org or find us online by searching State of Ohio Show.

or find us online by searching State of Ohio Show.

You can also hear more from the Bureau on our podcast, The Ohio State House scoop.

Look for it every Monday morning wherever you get your podcasts.

And please join us again next time here for the State of Ohio.

of Ohio.

A.

Support for the Statehouse News Bureau comes from Medical Mutual, dedicated to the health and well-being of Ohioans, offering health insurance plans, as well as dental, vision and wellness programs to help people achieve their goals and remain healthy.

More at Med mutual.com.

The law offices of Porter, right, Morris and Arthur LLP.

Porter Wright is dedicated to bringing inspired legal outcomes to the Ohio business community.

More at porterwright.com.

Porter Wright inspired Every day in Ohio Education Association, representing 120,000 educators who are united in their mission to create the excellent public schools.

Every child deserves more at OHEA.org.

Every child deserves more at OHEA.org.