Dayton Daily News...
Bill would mean fewer days to vote early
Senate bill also would shift state’s 2012 presidential primary from March to May.
By Laura A. Bischoff, Columbus Bureau 

COLUMBUS — The state Senate made major reforms to where, when and how Ohio’s 8 million registered voters may cast ballots and moved the 2012 presidential primary from March to May. 

The Senate voted 23-10 along party lines in favor of a plan that shortens the in-person early voting period from 35 days to 17 days before Election Day, but eliminates Sundays, Saturday afternoons and the Monday before Election Day. 

Moving the primary to May likely will make Ohio a non-player in the race to name presidential candidates. 

But state officials and the five-member Ohio Apportionment Board, which meets every 10 years following the census, need more time to redraw boundaries for the 132 state legislative districts. The General Assembly then draws new congressional districts. 

“If it remains in March, you essentially have to be done with the process by September in order to allow candidates time to pull petitions and circulate them during the holidays,” said Senate Republican Caucus spokesman Jason Mauk, the former director of the Ohio Republican Party. “It is a bipartisan issue that both parties support.” 

Democrats opposed parts of the election reform bill, particularly the shortening of the early voting period. Roughly, one-third of Ohio voters cast early ballots in-person or by mail. 

The bill also bars local boards of elections from mailing unsolicited applications for absentee ballots and providing return postage for absentee ballots. Also, poll workers will no longer be required to direct voters to their correct precincts. 

The Senate delayed action on a bill that would require voters to present state-issued photo ID or driver’s license to vote in-person. Senate President Tom Niehaus, R-New Richmond, said that bill wasn’t ready and senators needed more time to understand it. 

Read it at the Dayton Daily News