House Republicans may give Ohioans the convenience of registering to vote online – but perhaps not until after this swing state votes for president. A bill to have Ohio join at least 26 other states with online voter registration has been sitting in the House for nearly a year, after passing the Senate with overwhelming bipartisan support. The bill is scheduled to be heard again Wednesday, along with potential amendments. Multiple sources said one of those amendments is likely to delay online registration until 2017, so it cannot be used by those who want to vote this November. Secretary of State Jon Husted, a key supporter of the bill, would operate the online registration system and has said repeatedly that his office is ready now, as soon as lawmakers pass the bill.
Online registration would use a slightly modified version of secretary of state’s current online system that allows voters to change their voter registration when, for example, they move. The key difference is that Ohioans would have to check a box giving permission for the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to release their signature, which will be used at the polls to help verify their identity.
Husted and other supporters have stressed that online registration would reduce errors when compared with data keyed in by hand, save money, make the system more secure, and do little or nothing to change the political makeup of the voting electorate.
Full Article: Online voter registration could be delayed until 2017 | The Columbus Dispatch.