An Ohio law goes into effect today that hides contact information about victims of domestic violence from the public record. Under the “Safe at Home” law, survivors of abuse, human trafficking or violent crimes can get a drivers’ license or register to vote using a post office box address that will be maintained by Secretary of State Jon Husted’s office.
Husted says he’s working with the Ohio Domestic Violence Network to let people know they have one month to register to vote in this November’s general election.
"We’re recommending that they use an absentee ballot, and the reason is there are fewer people in the process that need to have that information about you if you use an absentee ballot. You won’t be prevented from going to the polls, but when you do that you have to show some form of identification or you can vote a provisional ballot. But you’re adding a couple of more people in the network who will ultimately know more information about you."
To register for the Safe at Home program, people must provide a notarized statement that they have been victimized. The penalty for falsely registering is a first-degree misdemeanor.
