Across the country, contentious views about our elections, how they’re operated, and the security of the vote are still very much part of the conversation. Many Americans have reservations about various methods of voting — such as the use of mail-in ballots — and whether some are better than the other.
However, there has been work by our country’s leaders to restore widespread security in elections. In the aftermath of the 2020 presidential race, multiple states passed election integrity laws.
Other states are aiming to make election information more transparent so that fewer people have doubts about the security of these important races. One state taking this sort of action is Ohio, according to Washington Times.
A Closer Look at New Changes Coming to Ohio
Frank LaRose, the secretary of state in Ohio, submitted a bill last week that will change how the state manages and shares election data.
The DATA Act, if it passes in the Ohio legislature and is signed by the governor, will allow state residents to view election information once it’s gone through the proper channels.
We introduced the DATA Act today to boost transparency by allowing first-in-the-nation, standardized public access to our election data.
We have a crisis of confidence in our elections, but the transparency that’s key to this bill will help change that.https://t.co/W145nGMiuB https://t.co/mvpUR1EyTu pic.twitter.com/8oaeZJmkKE
— Frank LaRose (@FrankLaRose) February 22, 2023
Moreover, LaRose maintains this bill will not only make Ohio voters more confident in elections, but it’ll also make cheating in political races that much more difficult.
The Ohio secretary of state holds the view that with greater transparency, Americans will be able to trust the elections are being run properly and above board.
This is why LaRose is also encouraging his counterparts in other states to consider moving ahead with their own versions of the DATA Act.
A Critical Time
Taking steps to ensure that elections are transparent is something that our nation can greatly benefit from. It is not good for the country when even a sizable minority of Americans don’t have faith that political races are being run as they should be.
Though in Ohio, time will tell whether or not the DATA Act actually becomes law. Various organizations and lobbyists in the Buckeye State have said they need to take a closer look at the legislation before forming a serious opinion on it.
How the DATA Act fares in Ohio could very well be a bellwether for whether or not other states adopt similar efforts to increase transparency surrounding this nation’s political races.
I want to fix that in Ohio. This week, we’ll introduce a way to get it done and strengthen confidence in our elections.
— Frank LaRose (@FrankLaRose) February 20, 2023
The timing of this bill is critical too, seeing as America is quickly approaching another presidential election.
What do you think about the DATA Act that’s been presented by Ohio’s secretary of state? Do you believe this is enough to restore widespread confidence in how elections are being run in the United States? Do you think this bill will garner enough support to pass in the Ohio House and Senate?
You’re more than welcome to sound off below in the comments section.
This article appeared in Watch Dog News and has been published here with permission.
