As Ohio gears up for the upcoming election, debates over new voting regulations are heating up. The recent proposal by Secretary of State Frank LaRose to eliminate ballot drop boxes has sparked significant controversy.

Sen. Bill Demora, D-Columbus, is a vocal advocate for voting rights and says it's already difficult to use drop boxes around the state with just one drop box in each county.

"It's ridiculous," he said. "And all that it does is hurt working people and working families and college students to make it tougher for people to vote."

Demora added that the proposal disproportionately affects those with limited access to transportation or tight schedules. However, LaRose's proposal stems from concerns over ballot harvesting, where unauthorized individuals collect and submit multiple ballots, a practice illegal under Ohio state law.

Supporters of the proposal argue that such measures are necessary to prevent potential voter fraud and ensure the integrity of the election process.

Alex Triantafilou, state Republican party chair, said there's a month before early voting begins, so this gives everyone a chance to understand the rules.

"This is a simple safeguard that we have for anyone who decides they're going to cast a ballot for another citizen," he said.

Despite these assurances, critics remain unconvinced, pointing out that the timing of these changes, just weeks before an election, could lead to confusion and deter voter participation.

Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Ohio, was among Democrats gathered outside the Board of Elections who pointed to voter intimidation.

"If you are taking your grandmother to drop off her ballot and she says, 'Sweetheart, can you please take my ballot and just drop it off at the box right over there?' you could be facing jail time?" he said

Other Democrats say with fewer than 70 days before the election, new rules for Ohioans could impact how they cast their ballots. While the debate continues, voters will need to navigate these changes to ensure their voices are heard on Election Day.


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Just a few months after some South Dakota absentee ballots were illegally challenged, officials are concerned slow mail delivery could affect outcomes on Election Day.

Members of the National Association of State Election Officials have sent a letter to the U.S. Postmaster General, expressing concerns about Postal Service performance over the last year. It cited patterns of inconsistent training among staff, lengthy delivery times and a rise in mail returned as undeliverable, which can affect a voter's registration.

Samantha Chapman, advocacy manager for the ACLU of South Dakota, hopes election officials across the state are educating people who request absentee ballots.

"About the possibility of delayed mail service and the importance of expediently filling out those ballots and mailing them back as soon as possible," Chapman stressed.

Chapman encouraged South Dakotans to check the status of their voter registration in case they have been purged through routine maintenance or other changes. The registration deadline is Oct. 21.

A challenge to some absentee ballots cast during the June primary in Minnehaha County nearly caused 100 to be rejected, in a race where candidates were separated by just 83 votes, according to the ACLU. The South Dakota Secretary of State's Office advised state law did not deem the ballots challengeable.

Chapman hopes there are no similar issues on the upcoming Election Day.

"We really, really, really are pushing all of our election administrators to follow the laws that are in place," Chapman explained. "And to use their positions to be an accurate source of information for voters."

The U.S. Postal Service last month proposed a plan to adjust mail delivery starting next year to increase reliance on regional hubs, which could slow delivery to rural areas. It is estimated the plan will save the service $3 billion per year.

National Voter Registration Day is tomorrow, and voting-rights advocates in Nevada want to ensure everyone is set to make their voice heard in November.

Agelina Saldana is the field manager at Silver State Voices, and said despite there being a presidential election this year, she is stressing the importance of down ballot races and initiatives that can have a direct impact on the lives of everyday Nevadans.

"I tell people you aren't just voting for a person when you go to the ballot, we also have these ballot initiatives," said Saldana. "We have many going out this year, many that are really important. One of them is including the right to reproductive rights in our state constitution."

Saldana acknowledged that while apathy surrounding elections is a real struggle, she encouraged voters to take the opportunity to get educated on candidates and initiatives - and vote for the issues that matter to them.

You can check your voter registration at registertovote.nv.gov.

Saldana said their partners have noticed an uptick in Nevadans showing interest in registering to vote.

But she said she does want to remind folks that the deadline for registering to vote in the Silver State depends on how you register. She said October 8 is the deadline for paper voter registration forms.

"This is the deadline essentially if you're going to be mailing in your voter registration form, or if any organizations are registering people using a form," said Saldana. "This is the deadline that we are all looking at."

She added that if you have recently legally changed your name, you should register over a paper form that should then be dropped off at your local elections department.

Saldana added that Nevada also has same-day registration - which is permitted during early voting, starting October 19 through November 1, and on Election Day.

Saldana added that tomorrow throughout the state there will be many events geared towards getting eligible voters registered and ready.

"A lot of our partners will be hosting all types of events," said Saldana. "We are going to be registering high school students, there is going to be puppies, there is going to be DJs, so I really, really encourage people to checkout our Instagram, @SSV.NV, to see all the events that we will be hyping up with our partners."

Groups from Virginia and across the country are working with federal lawmakers to improve voting rights.

They are building support for voting rights bills like the Freedom to Vote Act, the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Native American Voting Rights Act. Virginia passed its own voting rights law in 2021, which is modeled after stronger federal legislation.

Christine Wood, co-director of a coalition called the Declaration for American Democracy, said the bills can help clarify questions about how to vote.

"It would create national standards for voting," Wood explained. "No matter what state you moved to or lived in you would have the same baseline access to the polls and the ballots as anyone else."

Virginia is one of many states purging voter rolls of possible noncitizens, amid false claims noncitizen voting in federal elections is an ardent nationwide problem. The opposite is true. Noncitizens voting in federal elections rarely occurs. Some think voter registration form errors are the true culprit. The state removed over 6,300 noncitizens from voter rolls since August.

The groups are also building support for a bill to give Washington, D.C., statehood. Bills providing statehood for D.C. passed twice in the House of Representatives but have not gone further.

Chaitram Aklu, a retired teacher and member of the American Federation of Teachers, said it only seems fair since Washington, D.C., does not have the same rights as states.

"There are several hundred thousand people living in D.C.," Aklu pointed out. "While their representatives are allowed to participate in debate, they do not have a vote and that has been going on for over 220 years."

He added D.C. already pays more taxes per capita than 22 other states, with higher federal taxes than 19 states.

D.C. residents have said a major reason for statehood is the lack of autonomy they have over the district's governing bodies. The President and Congress have the final say on legislation or judicial nominations for D.C. courts. Meanwhile, they only have a lone representative in the House who does not have voting power and no Senate representation.