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OCRC assesses voting rights progress
The Ohio Advisory Committee to the United States Commission on Civil Rights convened briefings on March 16 and 17, at the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, 1111 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH. The purpose was to find facts and assess the current state of voting access in Ohio.
In light of recent federal and state legislation, including the Help America Vote Act and Ohio House Bill 3, the Ohio Advisory Committee voted to hear testimony from experts about these statutes and the manner in which they have been or will be implemented.
The Committee heard testimony regarding other aspects of voting access in Ohio. Experts included: State Sen. Jeff Jacobson, Franklin County Board of Elections Director Matthew Damschroder, Common Cause Ohio Executive Director Sam Gresham, and Moritz College of Law Professor Daniel Tokaji.
The Chairman of the Ohio Advisory Committee, Lynwood Battle of Cincinnati, introduced the presenters. Members of the Ohio Advisory Committee included: former U.S. Attorney Sharon Zealey, Ohio Civil Rights Commission Chairman Aaron Wheeler, and the University of Toledo, College of Law, Professor David Harris.
As directed by U.S. Congress, the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights has established committees in the 50 U.S states and the District of Columbia, comprised of volunteer citizens who advise the Commission on state-level civil rights issues.
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