With Ohio on the hunt for more election workers during last year’s pandemic, Secretary of State Frank LaRose has had to get creative.

The people of Ohio needed a haircut after being indoors for months. And, perhaps just as much, they wanted to go out for a drink again. LaRose therefore announced two new programs designed to boost voter registration and the recruitment of election officials.

“Styling for Democracy” brought Ohio hair salon registration forms, while a number of craft breweries have joined the campaign “Raise a glass for democracy”. Rhinegeist Brewery donated bottles of Every Vote Counts IPA with labels that read, “A Collaboration Brewed to Encourage Voter Registration in Ohio.”

These efforts, LaRose later said, were successful in boosting recruitment and educating voters.

It looks like they’ll be illegal in the future as well, thanks to a state budget provision inserted and supported by Republican lawmakers.

The budget item prohibits any election official from collaborating with non-governmental entities in any activity related to voter registration, education or the recruitment of election officials.

The article also prohibits election officials from accepting money donated by anyone outside the government for election purposes.

There are a few exceptions, such as using a non-government building (such as a church) as a polling station and allowing food donations for election officials on election day.

On top of that, the language seems clear: LaRose would not be able to collaborate with private companies or with voting rights advocates on voting programs because they are not part of the government.

LaRose, however, sees the budget provision differently. He thinks the language does not apply to programs like his “Styling for Democracy” initiative.

“It’s definitely not my interpretation of the law,” LaRose said.

He also described having had recent conversations with legislative leaders and said they told him banning such programs “was not their intention.”

“These are great initiatives,” he continued, “and we will continue to do them because one of my most important responsibilities is to ensure that Ohioans can have the opportunity to do so. register and vote. “

What happens if the law Is end up banning such work?

“And if anyone wants to challenge my ability to do it, then I guess we’ll see it in court,” LaRose said.

“Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” 🍻

Some dispute this, but this little wisdom is often attributed to Ben Franklin.

Either way, our Raising a Glass for Democracy initiative is proof that we love voters and how easy it is to become voters at https://t.co/TI8p9denz4! pic.twitter.com/OUmdmX8BnW

– Frank LaRose (@FrankLaRose) July 20, 2020

Facebook CEO donates to Ohio election causes

The 2020 election cycle has been particularly complicated, with many Ohio voters choosing to vote by mail for the first time due to the pandemic. LaRose’s office and other advocates have spent much of the year educating citizens about their voting options and various deadlines.

Nonprofit groups and businesses like Facebook have tried to help. CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, donated $ 300 million to election causes such as hiring election officials and purchasing safe election equipment.

Millions of dollars were distributed through the nonprofit Center for Election Innovation & Research, which then distributed the money to secretaries of state across the country, Vox reported.

Last September, state lawmakers on the Ohio Controlling Board approved LaRose’s request to accept more than $ 1 million from the Center for Election Innovation & Research. LaRose said the money would be distributed to county election councils to help with election officer training, voter announcements and equipment.

Some of these expenses were controversial. Despite the backing of the Ohio Association of Elections Officials, Republican members of the Summit County Board of Elections have expressed concerns about taking money from a private organization, cleveland.com reported at the time.

“Anti-democratic provision”

Democratic lawmakers and the groups making up the Ohio Voter Rights Coalition have urged Gov. Mike DeWine to veto the budget item.

“The state’s operating budget is not a way for lawmakers to introduce undemocratic provisions that threaten the constitutionally protected right to free and fair elections,” said Catherine Turcer, executive director of the Good Government group Common Cause Ohio, in a statement. declaration.

But the Republican governor signed the budget with this article still in place.

Now Democrats plan to try to repeal the provision ahead of the 2022 election cycle, with Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney, D-Cleveland, announcing that she is seeking cosponsors. Lawmakers are on summer recess and resume their regular sessions in the fall.

Today I sent out a co-sponsor request to repeal a new law banning churches, businesses and sports teams from working with BoEs on voter registration and education. This overly broad and damaging law was added late to the budget process without public scrutiny and needs to be reconsidered pic.twitter.com/QRG5agIrmJ

– The Rose Sweeney Bride (@RepBrideSweeney) July 12, 2021

LaRose continues to promote his work and says he has no plans to quit, even with the provision in place.

“I am very proud of the work we have done, as any Secretary of State should do, to get people to register to vote, to encourage participation,” he said.