Columbus, Ohio – The following statement is from Ohio Democracy Defense Project Members Ken Blackwell and Zach Space: 

“We, as members of the Democracy Defense Project, strongly reject any proposal to ‘nationalize’ elections. This rejection is based on our reading of the Constitution.

Article I, Section 4 of the Constitution states clearly, that ‘The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof.’ While Article I does permit Congress to make and alter laws and regulations of the electoral process, the Executive office has no such authority.

Moreover, we have complete confidence in the State of Ohio’s ability to efficiently, fairly, and transparently run elections. Our electoral process has been successfully administered, by both Republicans and Democrats, for many decades and contains numerous safeguards that should give all Ohioans confidence in the outcome of our elections. There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud in Ohio, where bipartisan election workers go to extraordinary lengths to ensure the integrity and credibility of the democratic process. We strongly believe that faith in the electoral process is a fundamental component of a vibrant and functioning democracy. And we, one a Democrat the other a Republican, stand firm in assuring voters that Ohio’s electoral process is credible, accurate and fair. There is no compelling logical or Constitutional basis for the suggestion that our electoral process should be ‘nationalized.’”

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