Groups work to engage young voters in democracy as election processes come under scrutiny

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Clouds of bubbles streamed aloft and Charli xcx's song “talk talk” boomed alongside a 19-foot Airstream Caravel, as the League of Women Voters of Ohio's statewide roadshow aimed at registering student voters and exciting them about democracy rolled onto Ohio State University's main campus Thursday.

The travel trailer, on loan from its iconic Ohio-based manufacturer, was emblazoned with the effort's motto: “Your Voice. Your Vote. Your Power.”

A volunteer implored the throng of students passing by not to forget that Oct. 7 is the registration deadline. “What if you wake up on Oct. 8 and change your mind?” she shouted. “It'll be too late.”

While early, in-person voting in Ohio begins Oct. 8, the day after the registration cutoff, ballots have already gone out for overseas and military voters.

The League's tour to about 20 colleges and universities — which has resulted in more than 5,000 voter contacts and indirect outreach to thousands more — is among dozens of voter registration efforts taking place across the state ahead of the Nov. 5 presidential election. As of last week, another voter advocacy group, the Organizing for Ohio Coordinated Campaign, said it had reached out to more than 1 million voters and is seeing “unprecedented momentum.”

The efforts come as Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose has continued to intensify scrutiny of Ohio's election processes in a year when voters will elect a president, decide a key U.S. Senate race and weigh in on a proposed constitutional amendment to change the way Ohio draws its political maps.

After launching a new Office of Election Integrity in 2022, LaRose this year removed 155,000 inactive and out-of-date voter registrations from the state’s voter rolls, increased the state's efforts to root out noncitizen voter registrations, and issued a directive assuring that only a voter can drop their personal ballot in a drop box. Anyone who assists someone else must return that ballot inside the county board office and complete an attestation form.

The latter rule came in the wake of a federal judge's ruling in July that tossed part of Ohio's election law that voting rights groups had challenged as illegally restricting people, such as relatives or certified caregivers, from helping voters with disabilities cast absentee ballots.

LaRose has said his efforts to crack down are aimed at addressing a “crisis of confidence” among voters in the wake of the 2020 election, which former President Donald Trump falsely claimed he lost. The Ohio Democratic Party this week said his efforts are intended to make “voting as difficult as possible for Ohioans.”

A sweeping election law rewrite enacted in 2021 was upheld by a federal judge in January, meaning it remains in effect for this fall's election. Among other things, the law imposed strict new photo ID requirements, restricted counties to a single drop box location and tightened deadlines related to absentee and provisional ballots.

Jen Miller, executive director of the League, said that during its roadshow tour of campuses, the group has been answering questions, giving out neutral, nonpartisan voter information, distributing absentee ballot forms and registering students to vote. The tour continues with stops at Ohio University on Oct. 3, at Youngstown State on Oct. 4, and at Kent State on Oct. 7.