Republican State Rep. Mike Duffey is introducing legislation that would no longer make it a felony to show your ballot before it is cast.
"And that before it is cast part is important," Duffey said. "So if you were theoretically to take a picture and show it after you cast your vote, that’s okay. But if you show it before you vote, even to your spouse at the kitchen table, or if you Facebook or Tweet it before you actually press the 'cast my vote' section, that’s technically a felony in Ohio, which is insane to think of.”
Duffey said the law was originally put on the books many years ago when people were paying others to vote a certain way. Sharing the ballot with others back then was a way to confirm the voter did what they were paid to do. But he says many laws have been put on the books since then to stop that practice so this prohibition about showing your ballot to others is no longer needed.
