Ohio: Protections Against Intimidation of Voters and Election Workers

Voters in Ohio have the right to vote free from intimidation under federal and state law.footnote1_7O3oBFuN7QuPlicalIOcT6ATKXkmY8SXGi4LUkrWA0Y_xV7QFYj3n36Q1 See, e.g., 18 U.S.C. §§ 241, 594; 52 U.S.C. § 10101(b); Ohio Rev. Code Ann. §§ 3501.35, 3501.90, 3599.01, 3599.24, 3599.26. Federal law broadly prohibits intimidation, threats, or coercion throughout every stage of the election process;footnote2_QY2dUiYlF4pPLu3rzJo7Dn6zjiQ5N6UWuUWFNXebnLM_mT6cuTN9ZrgW2 See U.S. Department of Justice, Voting Rights Fact Sheet (Sept. 2024), https://www.justice.gov/crt/media/1366636/dl (summarizing federal laws that protect against intimidation). more information on the federal protections that apply to all states can be found here. In addition, the following actions are specifically prohibited by Ohio law:

• Obstructing access to a polling location.footnote3_QJ0JqsftxPjjfQ080U1GCoRzdafNhkskbrgir2lkEc_r3Dd7RZtRR363 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. §§ 3501.90(A)(1)(A), 3501.35(A)(2).
• Obstructing, intimidating, or interfering with voting at a polling location.footnote4_IQL2NfaEwiMn0ikXwz8yvfVvXslBXrKjtg8V0rwpU_hd8K6yFZOrJL4 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3501.90(A)(1)(A).
• Participating in a riot, violence, or disorder in and about a polling location.footnote5_IQL2NfaEwiMn0ikXwz8yvfVvXslBXrKjtg8V0rwpU_rN96f9BMAXEc5 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3501.90(A)(1)(A).
• Attempting by intimidation, coercion, or other unlawful means to induce a voter to vote or refrain from voting, or to vote or refrain from voting for a particular candidate, question, or issue.footnote6_H3RAifYiWsHHuaCF15xhHzBJg1uMn45r-OTqKQ2R5E_cOiKujg5XZFJ6 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3599.01(2).
• Loitering in or about a polling place during the casting and counting of ballots so as to hinder, delay, or interfere with the conduct of an election.footnote7_onUVbKyxYSwx-2eUtdhxgYmyj7SpPaOPGm7OZDLdN8_umCG74ADKzml7 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3599.24(5).
• Soliciting or in any manner attempting to influence any voter in casting their ballot.footnote8_iwYjGTF6sMgWReJZ5BUlaPsmVZhDn4vCfHef5hxw9s0_t600bGGOrVBU8 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3501.35(A)(5).
• Engaging in any kind of election campaigning within 100 feet of a polling place, and if the line for voting extends beyond the 100-foot buffer, within 10 feet of any voter waiting in the line for voting.footnote9_u3zgOl7Z3SKcPxSdaISDmUoksLCZtQtTKMbV0fHVjBs_fedNpkDEwlqs9 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3501.35(A)(1).
• Unduly delaying or hindering a voter from attempting to vote or voting.footnote10_F2e2XEtnOxftgroM9EI3VNWHJ3MwCB-wUJ5gNGEl9c_jLZ2CQB7ggJp10 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3599.26.
• Recklessly destroying any property used to conduct elections or removing materials that help a voter cast their ballot.footnote11_gCO0bYsRWRY0DRUngoMs5kjHnEFZXpKSlEDvvMNjhc_otUPOGkYvHVH11 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3599.24(2), (6).

The below addresses the laws that serve as guardrails against specific threats of intimidation.

Although Ohio permits any qualified elector, precinct election official, or voting location manager to challenge another voter’s eligibility,footnote1_xYfE6N8va5aoRdTXs0SbUx9ml95Q3EVd3iiJLvCWko_naftdXLjA7rv1 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3505.20. state law also provides for some guardrails. For example, only precinct election officials or voting location managers may challenge a voter at a polling location.footnote2_qe67jMcVeKvY387OD-awMiWTRzarNTVXzDm3ga9GjJk_bnzyCtje4f102 Ohio Secretary of State, “Chapter 9: Election Day Voting,” Election Official Manual, 272, updated December 20, 2023, https://www.ohiosos.gov/globalassets/elections/directives/2023/eom/eom_fullversion_2023–12.pdf. Challenges by private citizens must be filed no later than 30 days before an election.footnote3_bCP5wYQvyYafVG5izOpOiVJL4A0pDFbOwNTR97ceE0_bC3dcFYyfDpY3 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3503.24. Such challenges must also be filed using a form prescribed by the secretary of state’s office, which requires challengers to state the reasons for the challenge and sign under penalty of election falsification.footnote4_bCP5wYQvyYafVG5izOpOiVJL4A0pDFbOwNTR97ceE0_a5fgVlEmGuop4 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3503.24.

The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) provides additional safeguards to protect voters from mass challenges before an election:

• The NVRA expressly recognizes that National Change of Address information is not sufficient on its own to serve as the basis for canceling a voter’s registration.footnote5_PLl6vSUctQ9PTGM3shI44UyFWwX0znRa3QTtakW9uDg_bRnbxr04obru5 52 U.S.C. § 20507(c)(1)(B).
• The NVRA prohibits the systematic removal of voters from the rolls within 90 days of a federal election.footnote6_gMU4pKaaGGtR0djXke9owYAHAATVZbmZt7GBXP2Bc7Y_rVbht0jBZT6D6 52 U.S.C. § 20507(c)(2)(A).

More information about the limitations and process for voter challenges in Ohio can be found here.

The Brennan Center and All Voting Is Local published a detailed resource on the limits on voter eligibility challenges in Ohio here.

In addition to federal protections against the intimidation of election workers, it is a felony in Ohio for any person to attempt to intimidate an election officer or prevent an election official from performing their duties.footnote1_cGeO-foDaQpMJ-toiw0cJsIWdCuXsOKXpbn-ERiBiU_lGwu5g6bX6zv1 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3599.24(3).

The Brennan Center and All Voting is Local published a detailed resource on the rules and constraints for Ohio poll workers here.

In addition to Ohio’s voter intimidation laws detailed above, state law places limits on who may serve as an observer and what they may and may not do:footnote1_RcgMrfBE6S08iFPrZJteVZx75mR5CYYUsNHu0TkUIZI_q3N5qfarznCe1 Note that poll watchers in Ohio are called “observers.”

• Any qualified elector may serve as an observer.footnote2_5LHzsjZgKQGqzEWZDJ0WkMZBLDMl0Ur5XZVFTqtmXs_svEK8ygNeAK02 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3505.21(B).
• Uniformed officers or political candidates cannot serve as observers.footnote3_5LHzsjZgKQGqzEWZDJ0WkMZBLDMl0Ur5XZVFTqtmXs_qc7F9brmWigL3 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3505.21(B).
• Observers may be appointed by a political party whose candidates are on the ballot, any group of five or more candidates, or a ballot issue committee.footnote4_eBr7bi6apdZ-r8Ds9Z8Wq-E4Z8S5ZKV726jI-lKJe0_ixAlh2jXEL4s4 Ohio Secretary of State, “Chapter 9: Election Day Voting,” Election Official Manual, 276. No more than one observer can be appointed to an early vote center or Election Day precinct.
• Observers are required to take an oath before observing.footnote5_5Xxs5bQ6Z10whKh-4qnWppnbwlgzdTU37QCRDp3Evk_rSRt7jfBnAad5 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3505.21(F).
• Observers are prohibited from engaging in any kind of campaigning; hindering or delaying a voter who is trying to enter or leave a polling location; impeding, interfering with, or disrupting the conduct of the election; intimidating, harassing, or attempting to influence voters or precinct election officials; carrying a firearm or other deadly weapon; or seeking to enforce the law or advocate on behalf of voters.footnote6_dtE4pPsnmAQGryzIXkJuB5rJLYvkhBHrq4XVRAk7SQ_zguEwj4OjJ1E6 Ohio Secretary of State, “Chapter 9: Election Day Voting,” Election Official Manual, 275.
• Observers may not use any electronic or communication device or any audio/video recording device in a manner that “impedes, interferes with, or disrupts an election, or in any way intimidates a voter, or risks violating the secrecy of the ballot or voter privacy.”

Precinct election officials may remove from the polling place observers who engage in behavior that is inconsistent with state law or a secretary of state directive, or who “interferes with, impedes, or disrupts an election.”footnote7_dtE4pPsnmAQGryzIXkJuB5rJLYvkhBHrq4XVRAk7SQ_eVqEXEfe1BbJ7 Ohio Secretary of State, “Chapter 9: Election Day Voting,” Election Official Manual, 275.

The Brennan Center and All Voting Is Local published a detailed resource on the rules and constraints on Ohio poll watchers here.

The county board of elections or secretary of state may request at least one police officer be assigned to each precinct on each day of an election.footnote1_muKI6FRBIX9XyqJ58nK8ueHcolCz0CGpalRqxp0HMg_mskRa1NSBIQ51 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3501.34. Police officers must follow the lawful orders of the voting location manager of a polling place.footnote2_h3pcARBtPYHFYPRm8os1pSyrUIGWz6F6tMLB57KYO4_vMmqmtGax7VW2 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3599.31.

Ohio law prohibits firearm possession for poll observers.footnote1_5LHzsjZgKQGqzEWZDJ0WkMZBLDMl0Ur5XZVFTqtmXs_eAJgL4kvM3wd1 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3505.21(B). Even at locations where firearms are not expressly prohibited, firearm carry may constitute unlawful intimidation. Such conduct may consist of carrying a visible firearm near a polling location or at a drop box or vote-counting site, displaying a concealed firearm during a discussion or argument with a voter or election worker, or approaching a voter or election worker while displaying a firearm.

Ohio and federal law prohibit canvassing efforts that are used to intimidate voters.footnote1_HoziVPJ2xb3QYarYMe6aHI6nLzzuQk26ZxzyKDEg18o_pP5AKbWfTPEO1 18 U.S.C. §§ 594, 241; Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3599.01(2). Any voter who receives a visit from a privately organized canvassing group does not have to answer any questions and should report any incidents of intimidation to their local officials.