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Driver registration law threatens voting rights
By Marc Kovac
COLUMBUS
A Democratic state lawmaker and one voting- advocacy group are among those voicing opposition to an amendment added to the state transportation budget they say could prompt some college students to refrain from voting.
Rep. Kathleen Clyde, D-Kent, and a representative from the League of Women Voters of Ohio said Tuesday the law change, requiring new residents who drive to seek new licenses and register vehicles in the state or face possible criminal charges, would serve as a deterrent for out-of-state students who have, to date, been allowed to cast ballots in Ohio.
“This provision intimidates and harasses students from pursuing their constitutional right to vote where they reside at college,” Clyde said. “This really has no place in Ohio’s transportation budget.”
The amendment, added by the Senate last week and retained in conference committee Tuesday, would require drivers who move to the state to obtain Ohio licenses and register their vehicles within 30 days.
The requirement would be triggered by declarations of residency, including registering to vote.
Those who fail to do so would not be permitted to operate a motor vehicle in the state and could face misdemeanor charges.
Clyde said the amendment would serve as a barrier for college students who want to vote in the state. A new license and car title would cost $75 or more, she said. And the failure to change driver’s licenses could lead to fines.
“There’s reports that over 110,000 Ohio students could be impacted by this provision,” Clyde said. “We’re talking about a lot of people, a lot of people’s rights impacted.”
Peg Rosenfield, an elections specialist at the League of Women Voters of Ohio, called the amendment an “intimidation tactic.”
But Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted said the amendment “doesn’t really have anything to do with voting” and would not hamper anyone’s ability to cast a ballot.
“If you’re going to register to vote, you should have the responsibilities of being an Ohioan,” he said. “By registering to vote, you are declaring ... that you consider yourself an Ohio resident. ... Everybody who’s an Ohio resident should play by the same set of rules.”
He added, “For the purposes of voting, nothing prohibits them from registering to vote and voting. What the obligations are as a resident of Ohio, that’s a completely different issue.”
Sen. Capri Cafaro of Liberty, D-32nd, offered an amendment to remove voter registration as a trigger for requiring driver’s license and vehicle registration changes. The amendment failed.