Today, the Ohio Senate Democrats' campaign team released definitive proof that Senator Matt Dolan (suburban Cleveland) is a current member of Ohio's Controlling Board and could have voted to pay return postage on absentee ballots.
The Controlling Board voted 4-2 along party lines this week to force Ohioans to pay their own return postage on absentee ballots.
Dolan's vote likely would have changed the outcome.
"Matt Dolan could choose any time to attend Controlling Board and vote.So why didn't he show up when he knew his vote would be the deciding factor?" asked Rachel Coyle, Campaign Director for the Ohio Senate Democrats.
"Either Senator Dolan hasn't felt like doing his job for nearly two years, or he's allowed himself to be repeatedly replaced by more extreme members of his party on crucial votes. Which is worse?"
The two Democrats on Controlling Board, Senator Vernon Sykes and Representative Jack Cera, voted to pay return postage on absentee ballots. The Republican members, who make up a majority of the Board, voted to force Ohioans to pay their own postage.
Dolan had expressed support for prepaid postage, but his 9/14 replacement (Bill Coley) voted against it.
This vote is especially problematic amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, when many Ohioans will feel absentee voting is their only safe option.
Senators Vernon Sykes (Akron), Cecil Thomas (Cincinnati area), and Nickie J. Antonio (Lakewood) have all released statements condemning this vote by their Republican colleagues.
Senator Matt Dolan is attempting to hold on to one of Ohio's most flippable Senate seats, SD 24, in suburban Cleveland.
Dolan's Democratic opponent, Tom Jackson, is well known in the district.
Tom Jackson runs a small business, is a Solon Chamber of Commerce executive, and helped elect hardworking Democrats to Solon City Council and Ohio's 6th House District.
Donate here to help Tom Jackson defeat #AbsenteeSenatorDolan this November.
Commenti