Ohio Democratic Party
March 11, 2016

Ohio Democratic Party Statement on Ruling Rejecting Secretary of State Jon Husted Directive Barring Young Ohioans From Voting In Presidential Primary

COLUMBUS — The Ohio Democratic Party released the following statement today in response to the ruling against Secretary of State Jon Husted by Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Richard Frye allowing registered voters who will be 18 before the general election to vote for their chosen presidential candidate:

“We were confident that Secretary Husted’s directive barring young Ohioans from voting for their chosen presidential candidate would not hold up in court, but it’s still a shame it came to this,” said Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper. “We urge Husted and Attorney General Mike DeWine not to appeal this ruling. Young Ohioans deserve to have a say in whom they want to lead our country. The Ohio Democratic Party will continue to support greater voter participation — regardless of party. We’ve never solved a problem with less democracy.”

At the time of Judge Frye’s ruling, a group of young Ohio voters celebrated outside Husted’s downtown office.

Bernie 2016
March 8, 2016
Contact: Michael Briggs

Sanders Sues in Ohio to Protect Young and Minority Voters

DETROIT – U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign on Tuesday sued Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted in federal court over his unconstitutional attempt to block young voters from casting ballots in the state’s March 15 presidential primary election.

“It is an outrage that the secretary of state in Ohio is going out of his way to keep young people – significantly African-American young people, Latino young people – from participating,” Sanders said.

The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Columbus, Ohio, along with six Ohio 17-year-olds seeking to vote in next week’s presidential primary in the Buckeye State. It alleges that Husted’s directive would “arbitrarily discriminate” against young voters, who U.S. census data show are more heavily African American and Latino than older groups of voters.

The legal action seeking injunctive relief against the secretary of state was announced by Sanders at a plane-side news conference before a flight from Michigan to Florida. “I want to do everything that I can to encourage people to participate. Unfortunately, in the state of Ohio there is an effort by the secretary of state to do exactly the opposite,” Sanders said.

Ohio is among more than 20 states where 17-year-olds who will turn 18 by the general election in November are allowed to vote in primaries. Last December, however, the secretary of state decided the young voters were ineligible to participate in the presidential primary. The lawsuit contends that action discriminates against minorities. It also says that the secretary of state’s actions violate the Due Process and Equal Protection provisions of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Former Ohio State Sen. Nina Turner, who ran against Husted for secretary of state, said Ohio law is clear that 17-year-olds may vote in presidential primaries. “We should be encouraging young people to get involved in elections, not shutting them out,” she said. “I’m proud that Sen. Sanders is leading the fight to protect the voting rights of all Ohioans.”

“A lot of people talk about voting rights. Sen. Sanders is walking the walk, not just talking the talk,” said Jeff Weaver, Sanders’ campaign manager.

Sanders has encouraged young people to get involved in the political process and has drawn large numbers of young supporters to his campaign for president. “What every political scientist understands is that you engage young people in the political process there is a strong likelihood that they will continue to vote. I am determined to do everything that I can to increase voter turnout, to involve young people in the people of process,” he said.

To read the lawsuit, click here.
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Ohio Democratic Party
March 7, 2016

Ohio Elections Official: 17-Year-Olds Were Permitted To Vote In Presidential Primaries Under Brunner

COLUMBUS — Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted is claiming his directive that prohibits Ohio voters who will turn 18 before the general election from casting a ballot for their presidential choice in the primary was the policy under former Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, but officials that worked for Brunner are disputing that assertion.

“Secretary Husted is flat out wrong,” said Antoinette Wilson, the Assistant Secretary of State under Secretary Brunner. “During the 2008 presidential election, Secretary Brunner issued a clear directive allowing 17-year-olds the right to vote for their preferred candidate in the presidential primary. She firmly believed we should be doing everything possible to bring young people into the democratic process, not shutting them out.”

Christopher Anderson worked with local Democrats and Republicans in the Mahoning Valley to pre-register 17-year-olds to vote in the 2016 elections.

“I was proud to work on a bipartisan effort to register more than 100 high school students, and hearing this news is incredibly frustrating,” said Anderson. “These students were very excited to vote in the primary election and have their voices heard. Secretary Husted’s decision sends a very clear message to these young voters — your voices don’t count.”

In February 2008, Brunner’s office issued a directive on 17-year-olds voting in that year’s presidential primary, stating:

“Ohio law allows 17-year old electors who will be 18 years of age on or before the date of the general election in 2008 to vote solely on the nomination of candidates. This is because they will be eligible to vote for the nominees for this office at the November general election.”

In contrast, Husted buried his change to this policy on on page 314 of a 596-page manual for election officials.

“Secretary Husted is once again restricting voting rights and making it harder for Ohioans to vote,” said Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper. “Ohio Democrats are working to ensure that every eligible voter is registered, every registered voter is able to vote and that every vote is accurately counted. It has been a central value of the Democratic Party that we support greater voter participation — regardless of party. We’ve never solved a problem with less democracy.”

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