Vivek's newest scam: Messing with our state Constitution
And Ohio Statehouse Republicans plan to help him do it
Yesterday, Vivek Ramaswamy posted an outrageously long, rambling tweet about the desperate need for voter ID laws in Ohio.
People immediately began mocking Vivek, because Ohio already has the strictest voter ID law in the country. Ohio’s Republican candidate for governor should probably know these things….
But it turns out Vivek had an ulterior motive.
Shortly after Vivek’s wild tweet, we learned that Statehouse Republicans plan to propose a new constitutional amendment tomorrow morning.
Their proposed amendment has two goals:
GOAL #1 — Bring Ohioans out to vote for Republicans in November.
In 2004, Republicans placed initiatives banning gay marriage on the ballot in several key swing states, including Ohio.
They hoped conservatives would show up to ban gay marriage — and vote for George Bush at the same time. Their plan worked.
Ohio Republicans’ new amendment seems like a very similar strategy. A huge majority of Americans support voter ID laws (even though voter ID laws are proven to stop legal, eligible Americans from voting).
Republicans are hoping to start a fight about voter ID so they can persuade more Ohioans to show up to vote for GOP candidates (like Vivek) who don’t excite them.
They’re hoping most voters don’t realize Ohio already has the strictest voter ID law in the country. They need people to think they’re showing up to protect our elections from imminent fraud.
GOAL #2 — Pave the way for Ohio to ban all voting except in-person on Election Day.
If you read Republicans’ proposed amendment, you’ll notice that most of it is already state law. That might make it seem like this amendment is not a big deal.
They’re hoping you don’t notice one little sentence right near the end.
“Nothing in this section requires the general assembly to pass laws allowing electors to vote in any location or manner other than in person at a polling place on the day of an election.”
They're paving the way for the state to ban all voting outside of in-person on Election Day.
With this amendment in our state constitution, Republican legislators could ban all early in-person voting. They could ban all absentee voting. They could force millions of Ohio voters to vote in-person on Election Day, causing massive lines. And lawsuits trying to stop them would be far more likely to fail.
Spread the word. This amendment will probably be on Ohio’s ballot this November.
They’ll tell you it’s about voter ID, but that is a lie. Ohio already has voter ID. This is about control. It’s about Republicans’ desperation to win at any cost.
We can’t let it pass.
Rachel, this is hugely important. Thank you for calling this out. We have to get to work.
And then they will have ICE or similar at the polls to intimidate those who are able to stand in lines. Thanks for this information. It's always about the next step for them. I grew up thinking that the more citizens who vote, the better- because everyone would be represented.