NAACP Joins Civil Rights Advocates to File Amicus Brief in Lawsuit Challenging Ohio’s New Ballot Drop Box Requirements

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 2, 2024 

Contact: Alicia Mercedes, amercedes@naacpnet.org 

WASHINGTON — Today, the Ohio State Conference of the NAACP along with the League of Women Voters of Ohio, The American Civil Liberties Union and ACLU of Ohio filed an amicus brief today to the Ohio Supreme Court on behalf of in a lawsuit challenging Secretary Frank LaRose's new Directive 2024-21, significantly curtailing the use of drop boxes.

The directive deprives anyone who is lawfully assisting another voter from using a drop box, mandating that this method may be used only by voters who are returning their own ballot.

President of the Ohio State Conference of the NAACP, Tom Roberts, shared the following statement:

"This mandate is a direct assault on the rights of voters with disabilities and others who face barriers to physically delivering their vote. It completely disregards the principle of accessibility and imposes a burden on those who rely on help to make their voices heard. We must ensure that all voters have equal access to the ballot without discriminatory restrictions."

The restrictions of Ohio's House Bill 458, which made it a felony for all but a handful of family members to assist voters with disabilities in casting absentee ballots, was struck down in late-July. Secretary LaRose has since used his loss in that case to justify this new effort to create hurdles for disabled Ohio voters to use drop boxes. 

The NAACP will continue its efforts to order the secretary to rescind Directive 2024-21 and inform county election officials to accept absentee ballots from authorized individuals without requiring an attestation form, including via a drop box.

The full brief can be accessed here.

###

About NAACP

The NAACP advocates, agitates, and litigates for the civil rights due to Black America. Our legacy is built on the foundation of grassroots activism by the biggest civil rights pioneers of the 20th century and is sustained by 21st century activists. From classrooms and courtrooms to city halls and Congress, our network of members across the country works to secure the social and political power that will end race-based discrimination. That work is rooted in racial equity, civic engagement, and supportive policies and institutions for all marginalized people. We are committed to a world without racism where Black people enjoy equitable opportunities in thriving communities.

NOTE: The Legal Defense Fund – also referred to as the NAACP-LDF - was founded in 1940 as a part of the NAACP, but now operates as a completely separate entity.