Don’t let the talk of Alcatraz and mansplaining of girls about dolls distract you.
There’s a full-out assault taking place on American democracy right now, in the form of the SAVE Act and its state-level copycats. And history tells us that attempts to manipulate voter registration like these can be very effective in kneecapping participation, particularly of targeted groups (in this case, women and voters of color.
ABOVE is a video where an old friend, Professor
of UC Davis, and I discuss it all. Both the history and what we can do about it. It’s so important people understand the connection between what is being attempted now, and some of the worst voter suppression in our history (both in the North and the South).You will LOVE Greg’s call for bold change.
Then, Take Action in Ohio!
24 states are attempting to advance state-level copycats that would also bottle up the voter registration process. In the end, these state-level laws are the bigger threat—both of passage, and of being upheld by courts .
One of these laws is being pushed through the Ohio Statehouse as we speak. Please take action to stop it.
Here are the basics: (h/t to Ohio’s Rachel Coyle for all this info)
SB 153 (and its identical twin HB 233) is Ohio’s version of the federal SAVE Act. It would stop tens of thousands (potentially hundreds of thousands) of eligible Ohioans from voting. It would criminalize democracy in Ohio.
Breaking the Registration Process
By requiring “documentary proof of citizenship” to be presented in order to register, the ways that the vast majority of Ohioans register to vote would be rendered functionally illegal.
No more voter registration drives by nonprofits, parties, campaigns, unions, etc.
No more voter registration forms or QR codes at local events
No more online voter registration
And most people would not be carrying these forms of ID when they go to the BMV to renew their license.
This is especially problematic when hundreds of thousands of Ohioans are being purged every cycle.
Basically, in the future, Ohioans would find themselves going to their boards of elections, then waiting in line, to register—something only 5% of Ohioans do now when they want to register. They’re basically doing to voter registration what they did a few years ago to dry boxes. (One location per county to register).
Tripping Up Voters
Ohio’s SAVE Act would also require your ID to match your voter information exactly.
You could be forced to vote provisionally if:
Your middle initial is listed on your voter registration but not on your license
You moved in the past 8 years but didn’t update your license (most Ohio drivers only have to update their license every 8 years!)
Your voter registration says Michael but your license says Mike
You changed OR hyphenated your last name when you got married
You have ever changed your name for any reason at any time
BMV data is wrong or not updated
You don't have a driver license or state ID
Any Ohioan could be flagged at any time. The bill requires Ohio to constantly check voter records against the BMV and Social Security databases to identify these "mismatches.”
This would force tens of thousands (potentially hundreds of thousands) of eligible voters to vote provisionally AND go to the BMV to prove their identity before their vote can be counted. Creating chaos in any close election and potentially changing the outcome
Under Ohio’s SAVE Act, if you are forced to vote provisionally for ANY reason, and you fail to provide proper documentation afterward, your voter registration will be CANCELED.
How many Ohioans each year will THINK they are registered to vote and will find out too late that their registration was canceled?
Under Ohio’s SAVE Act, if voters fail to respond to voter confirmation notices sent to them through the mail within 14 days of the second notice, they could face PROSECUTION.
Many eligible Ohioans would be scared to register to vote at all.
Ohio’s SAVE Act bans ALL ballot drop boxes. Even the ones outside your county Board of Elections.
This will create LONG lines to return ballots to the Board of Elections in-person.
It ignores Ohioans who need to return ballots at odd hours due to work or school or child care concerns
Ohio’s SAVE Act requires ALL newly registered voters and recently updated voters to vote provisionally until their citizenship is verified.
How long will that take? How many people will be forced to vote provisionally due to bureaucracy?
Ohio’s SAVE Act is a direct attack on Ohio’s citizen-led ballot initiative process
It places petition committee members and petition circulators in legal jeopardy
It invents more reasons to invalidate petitions and signatures
It requires paid circulators to wear identifying badges, which would lead to harassment
For More Information from Voting Rights Advocates:
More info on Ohio’s SAVE Act — Ohio Voter Rights Coalition (OVRC)
Unfunded mandates in Ohio’s SAVE Act — ACLU Ohio
Learn about “documentary proof of citizenship” bills in other states
MOST IMPORTANTLY —
Please TAKE ACTION to help stop this bill.
1.) We need as many Ohioans as possible to TESTIFY against the bill when the hearing comes up, which will be in the next few weeks.
SIGN UP to say you’re interested in testifying against this bill
Sign up here. Ohio Voter Rights Coalition (OVRC) will send you more information and notify you when testimony is needed!
2.) Write a Letter to the Editor (LTE) — OVRC can help you!
Tell your community where you stand. Speak out about this dangerous bill.
Send your draft LTE to Sarah@allvotingislocal.org for help editing and submitting it!
Messages to use:
Ohio says NO to SB 153 and HB 233
Do not criminalize democracy
Help stop Ohio’s SAVE Act
3.) Let these LEGISLATORS know that SB 153 and HB 233 are unAmerican and unacceptable:
Senate General Government Committee Chair — Kristina Roegner:
(614) 466-4823
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RoegnerKristina
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinaroegner/
Tell her:
Do not let SB 153 (Ohio’s SAVE Act) pass through the Senate General Government Committee
Do not criminalize democracy
Help stop Ohio’s SAVE Act
Senate General Government Committee Member — Steve Huffman:
(614) 466-6247
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SteveHuffmanOH
Facebook: statesenatorstevehuffman/#
Tell him:
Do not let SB 153 (Ohio’s SAVE Act) pass through the Senate General Government Committee
Do not criminalize democracy
Help stop Ohio’s SAVE Act
Senate General Government Committee Member — Bill Reineke:
(614) 466-8049
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillReineke
Tell him:
Do not let SB 153 (Ohio’s SAVE Act) pass through the Senate General Government Committee
Do not criminalize democracy
Help stop Ohio’s SAVE Act
Senate General Government Committee Member — Jane Timken:
(614) 466-0626
Twitter: https://x.com/JaneTimkenOH
Tell her:
Do not let SB 153 (Ohio’s SAVE Act) pass through the Senate General Government Committee
Do not criminalize democracy
Help stop Ohio’s SAVE Act
Your state senator
Tell them:
Do not criminalize democracy
HELP STOP Ohio’s SAVE Act
Ohio says NO to SB 153 and HB 233!
Find your state senator by typing your address below this map
Your state representative
Tell them:
Do not criminalize democracy
HELP STOP Ohio’s SAVE Act
Ohio says NO to SB 153 and HB 233!
4.) Spread the word about Ohio’s SAVE Act
Share any of these resources on social media — make sure everyone in Ohio knows about this disastrous bill:
Ohio SAVE Act one-pager — Ohio Voter Rights Coalition (OVRC)
Unfunded mandates in Ohio’s SAVE Act — ACLU Ohio
Messages to use:
Ohio says NO to SB 153 and HB 233
Do not criminalize democracy
Help stop Ohio’s SAVE Act
Thank you!
Day 167 — May 7, 2025
Here in Cincinnati, hundreds are losing jobs due to DOGE/Trump destruction of NIOSH (the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health).
And similar NIOSH job cuts are happening across the nation, with 90% of its workforce being eliminated.
And of course, besides the jobs themselves, the repercussions are devastating for those who depend on the work of NIOSH.
Here’s an especially horrible example:
In addition to mine safety, the cuts are affecting nearly all NIOSH programs, including those responsible for certifying respirators (like N95 masks), firefighter health, workplace hazard research, and the approval of new safety equipment.
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