Name: Ohio's online voter registration might not work for many college students
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Ohio's online voter registration might not work for many college students

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Cincinnati Enquirer Ohio's online voter registration system was supposed to make it easier to register voters on college campuses, especially during a pandemic.&nbsp;But students trying to register with their on-campus addresses this year hit a snag – their registrations were rejected because that address didn't match the address on their Ohio driver's license.A driver's license or state ID isn't required to vote in Ohio. But that's how verifies someone's identify and address.College students say the system unfairly excludes voters who want to vote from their campus address but either keep their parents' address on their driver's license, came to Ohio from another state or lack a license or ID card.When someone enters an address that doesn't match their ID, they see a pop-up screen that says "we were unable to verify your address." It does not say that the issue is a mismatch with Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles information.&nbsp;"As an 18-year-old first time voter, I'd be pretty discouraged and be nervous I’d done something wrong," Joshua St. Pierre, a University of Cincinnati student, said. "It’s something we need to get fixed."Students are then directed to fill out a form, print it and mail it to the county board of elections office. St. Pierre said that task might seem small but is an added burden that may discourage new voters."The whole point of using the online voter registration tool, especially&nbsp;in the midst of a pandemic, is because people lack reliable transportation or access to a printer," St. Pierre said.Students at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio State University, Bowling Green State University and Wright State University are calling on Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose to resolve the issue ahead of the Oct. 5 voter registration deadline.The secretary of state's office wouldn't say how many applicants were unable to complete registration due to a BMV mismatch. LaRose spokeswoman Maggie Sheehan said the system, established in 2017,&nbsp;is operating ."Registrants must verify their identity, and that includes an address match," Sheehan said in an email.&nbsp;"We’re certainly very appreciative of students bringing attention to this matter so we can provide the information they need to ensure their voice is heard."Sheehan said students can change their addresses with the BMV without having to get a new license or ID card.The system isn't just leaving out college students. An estimated&nbsp;10% of Ohio's population doesn't have a state-issued driver's license or ID card, said Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio."This is an area where once again Ohio law could be updated to ease processes," Miller said.While much of her organization's voter registration efforts have moved online due to the pandemic, it is still trying to reach people who don't have access to the internet or lack the ID to register online. That's harder without large public events such as festivals or the ability to go into high schools and colleges."We are missing swaths of the public that we can’t quite reach for various reasons because we’re not there personally," Miller said.Miller said the league encourages everyone to check their voter registrations before the Oct. 5 deadline, even if they've been registered for years. That can be done online at&nbsp;.Ready to vote in the 2020 election? .

Cincinnati Enquirer Ohio's online voter registration system was supposed to make it easier to register voters on college campuses, especially during a pandemic.&nbsp;But students trying to register with their on-campus addresses this year hit a snag – their registrations were rejected because that address didn't match the address on their Ohio driver's license.A driver's license or state ID isn't required to vote in Ohio. But that's how verifies someone's identify and address.College students say the system unfairly excludes voters who want to vote from their campus address but either keep...

Ohio's online voter registration might not work for many college students

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