ACS Columbus: Balancing Public Health and Election Administration

The recent primary elections in Wisconsin and Ohio demonstrated just how disruptive the current global health crisis is to voting - and how important it will be to protect our elections this November. No voters should be forced to choose between casting their ballots and protecting their health and safety. As states face the prospect of administering a November presidential election during a pandemic, lawmakers and election officials alike need to prioritize safe, equitable access to the ballot in order to preserve our most important democratic institutions.

On Tuesday, May 19, the ACS Columbus, Austin, Chicago, Cincinnati, Colorado, Georgia, Hoosier, Houston, Knoxville, Los Angeles, Madison, Michigan, Minneapolis-St. Paul, and Northeast Ohio Chapters, as well as election experts, explored how states can best adapt to this new reality and what other COVID-impacted elections in the United States can teach us about the path forward.

Featuring:

Edward Foley, Charles W. Ebersold and Florence Whitcomb Ebersold Chair in Constitutional Law and Director of the Election Law Program, The Ohio State University’s Moritz College of Law

Richard Hasen, Chancellor’s Professor of Law and Political Science, UC Irvine School of Law

Moderated by:

Katy Shanahan, Ohio State Director, All on the Line; Co-President, ACS Columbus Lawyer Chapter