Secretary of State Jon Husted plans to request state money to send absentee ballot applications to Ohio voters for next year’s presidential election, continuing a practice voter advocates worry will end now that lawmakers hold the purse strings. A state law enacted last year prohibits county boards of election from sending unsolicited absentee ballot requests but allows the secretary of state to do so if the General Assembly pays for it.
Husted’s office previously used funds from the Help America Vote Act to send absentee ballot applications to registered voters statewide. The mailings cost $1.5 million in 2012 and $984,000 in 2014.
Husted plans to request $1.2 million during a House committee meeting Tuesday night, spokesman Joshua Eck said.
Full Article: Jon Husted seeks $1.2 million to mail absentee ballot applications statewide in 2016 | cleveland.com.