Ohio Wins Dismissal of Challenge to Ballot-Access Requirements

Ohio won dismissal of a lawsuit challenging its in-person signature and deadline requirements for placing initiatives on election ballots, according to a federal court order.

Under the reasoning of the Sixth Circuit, the state’s interests in ensuring signature authenticity outweigh the burdens imposed on the plaintiffs seeking to ease the ballot access rules, even considering the Covid-19 pandemic, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio said Thursday.

Organizers of three proposed ballot measures, including one to increase minimum wage to $13 an hour, sued in April 2020. They said the state’s in-person signature collection requirements and deadlines ...