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Questions Raised About Whether 17-Year-Olds Are Being Allowed To Vote In The Primary

Ohio voters stand in line to cast ballots in Columbus in  2015
Karen Kasler
Ohio voters stand in line to cast ballots in Columbus in 2015

In the past, 17 year olds who will be 18 by the fall election have been able to vote partisan ballots for candidates in the Ohio primary. A Democratic state representative who’s been critical of the Republican Secretary of State says they’re not able to this year.  But his office says that isn’t true. Ohio Public Radio’s Jo Ingles reports.

Democratic Rep. Kathleen Clyde (D-Kent) is accusing Secretary of State Jon Husted of changing rules to deprive some young Ohioans from voting in this primary election.

“Seventeen year olds, for decades, have always been able to participate in the primary as long as they will be 18 years old and able to vote in the general.”

But Joshua Eck with the Ohio Secretary of State’s office says 17-year-olds who are going to be 18 before the general election are only allowed to vote on candidates for the offices that will be decided in the upcoming general election. Eck says the rules being followed now are the same rules followed by Husted’s predecessor, Democrat Jennifer Brunner.

Copyright 2021 The Statehouse News Bureau. To see more, visit The Statehouse News Bureau.

Jo Ingles is a professional journalist who covers politics and Ohio government for the Ohio Public Radio and Television for the Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau. She reports on issues of importance to Ohioans including education, legislation, politics, and life and death issues such as capital punishment.