Here's what the proposed Ohio voting reform bill would do

Some state Republican lawmakers want to change the way Ohioans vote, and they're taking some heat for it.

SOME REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS WANTTO CHANGE THE WAY YOU VOTE INOHIO... AND THEY'RE TAKINGSOME HEAT FOR IT.THANKS FORJOINING US AT 6 -- I'M CRAIGMCKEE.AND I'M TANYA O'ROURKE.DEMOCRATS SAY THEY'RECORRUPTING THE PROCESS -- ANDTHE CHANGES ARE MEANT TOSUPPRESS VOTES.WCPO NINE NEWSREPORTER COURTNEY FRANCISCO ISBREAKING DOWN THE PROPOSAL...AND ASKING THE ANALYSTS THEIMPACT IT COULD HAVE ON VOTINGDAY.ONE SIDE CALLS THIS VOTINGBILL SUPRESSIVE.

THE OTHERside SAYS IT'S AN IMPROVEMENTFOR THE SAKE OF COUNTY BOARDSOF ELECTIONS.---REMEMBER WHENTHE PANDEMIC BROUGHT OUT MOREABSENTEE AND EARLY VOTERS?SOMEOHIO REPUBLICANS WANT TOCHANGE THE WAY YOU DO THAT INTHEFUTURE.230 republicans have controlof the legislature to be ableto really squeeze the vice onthe voting processDR. DAVIDNIVEN SPECIALIZES IN ELECTIONSAND POLITICS AT THE UNIVERSITYOF CINCINNATI... HE CONFIRMSHOUSE BILL 294 CHANGES 12THINGS-- SIX OF THOSE CRITICSARE HONING IN ON.1.

GIVING ONEDROP BOX PER COUNTY BOARD OFELECTIONS2.

IF YOU PUT YOURABSENTEE BALLOT IN THE WRONGENVELOPE, YOU CAN'T FIX THAT.3.

ALLOWS YOU TO REQUEST ANABSENTEE BALLOT ONLINE.

BUTYOU HAVE TO SHOW TWO FORMS OFI-D.4.

REQUIRES YOU TO MAILYOUR ABSENTEE BALLOT 10 DAYSBEFORE ELECTION INSTEAD OFTHREE5.

LAWMAKERS MUSTAUTHORIZE SECRETARY OF STATETO PAY FOR ABSENTEE BALLOTPOSTAGE.6.

STOPS IN PERSONABSENTEE VOTING MONDAY BEFOREELECTION DAY... SPREADINGTHOSE HOURS ACROSS OTHER EARLYVOTINGDAYS.we don't have to do it onMonday when the boards ofelections are trying to getset upOHIO'S TOP ELECTIONOFFICIAL SECTEARY OF STATEFRANK LAROSE SAYS BOARDS OFELECTIONS ASKED FOR MANY OFTHESE CHANGES TO MAKE THEPROCESSSMOOTHER.it creates online absenteeballot requests to make iteasier to submit an absenteeballot.what it does is createsan automated voterregistration process so we canget more people registered tovote and more accuratelyCINCINNATI REPUBLICANREPREPSETNATIVE BILL SEITZSPONSORS THE BILL..

HE DID NOTRETURN MY CALLS TO COMMENT BUTCINCINNATI DEMOCRATEREPRESENTATIVE CATHERINEINGRAMSAYS:WE are reinventing ways torestrict it to make it seemlike,the vote, to make it seemlike we're doing everythingwe can and we're just tryingto eliminate fraud.I ASKED DR.NIVEN IS THISSUPRESSION?this bill is unquestionablycreating voter hurdles.

It'sunbalanced.

It's making itharder to vote.

Inparticluar,making it hard to voteabsentee.

There's no wayaround that.---TO SEE THE FULL 174 PAGEBILL GO TO OUR WEBSITE WCPODOT COM CLICK ON THIS STORYREPORTING IN CINCINNATI CFWCPO NINE NEWS.