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Local senator and Lorain Rep. named Legislators of the Year

SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter

Published: February 12, 2016

It’s an annual award handed out by the Ohio Association of Election Officials (OAEO) to one Republican and one Democratic legislator demonstrating an exceptional commitment to improving Ohio’s election process.

In 2015, the OAEO selected Ohio Sen. Frank LaRose (R-Copley Township) and Rep. Dan Ramos (D-Lorain) as Legislator of the Year for their respective parties. They received their awards on Jan. 14 at the Hilton in downtown Columbus.

“Typically we look for legislators who have been active in the General Assembly in promoting election issues and those who have a close relationship with their local boards of election,” said Aaron Ockerman, executive director of the bipartisan OAEO.

“In this case both Sen. LaRose and Rep. Ramos have both worked to secure state funding to purchase electronic poll books to speed up the voting process and improve the voter experience.”

The OAEO represents members and employees of Ohio’s county boards of election, their directors and deputy directors.

LaRose received the Robert E. Hughes Award for outstanding Republican legislator of the year. Now in his second term, LaRose represents the 27th District, which includes parts of Summit and Stark counties along with Wayne County.

“Getting the award was an honor and a humbling experience,” said LaRose. “I am very proud. It is nice to be recognized for a job well done.”

Previously a member of the U.S. Army’s 101st Airborne Division and a former Special Forces Green Beret, LaRose’s military service earned him a Bronze Star among other commendations.

He attended The Ohio State University, receiving a bachelor’s degree in consumer affairs and business. LaRose got involved in politics in 2008 when he worked on Republican presidential-hopeful Sen. John McCain’s campaign. He was first elected to his Ohio Senate seat in 2010 and took office in January 2011.

In recent years, LaRose has crafted several election-related bills. In 2015, he introduced Senate Bill 63 to establish online voter registration in the state. “I had originally introduced it in 2013 and it didn’t pass the last General Assembly so I reintroduced it in 2015,” he said.

“Thirty-one states have already approved online voter registration and 29 have implemented it,” said LaRose. “Online registration is more convenient for voters and it is more secure because it includes verification of the person’s identity, citizenship status and address. These same safeguards do not exist with traditional paper registration.”

He said online registration saves money since county board workers don’t have to spend time entering the information manually after trying to read a voter’s handwriting.

“It’s more accurate since the individual is typing in their own information,” said LaRose. “Every year there are problems with voter names being misspelled.”

In addition to online voter registration, last year LaRose introduced a bill calling for the fourth Tuesday of September to be designated “Voter Registration Awareness Day.” As of the publication of this article, Senate Bill 169 had not passed the full Senate.

In 2014 Gov. Kasich signed LaRose’s SB 238, eliminating the so-called “Golden Week,” a period at the beginning of early voting when people can register to vote and cast an in-person absentee ballot.

“It leaves Ohio with 28 days of early voting, still among the most in the country,” said LaRose.

Ramos was awarded the Jack Wolfe Award for outstanding Democratic legislator of the year. He represents the 56th House district, made up of Lorain County.

“I was pleasantly surprised to receive the award,” said Ramos. “None of us in the House does our work to get recognition. This award is especially important to me because it’s named after Jack Wolfe.

“Jack Wolfe was the director of the Lorain County Board of Elections prior to his death, so it’s particularly nice to get an award named after someone from my home county,” said Ramos. 

A native of Lorain, Ramos hold a bachelor’s degree in political science. He was elected state representative in 2010 and took office in January 2011. He’s the first Hispanic representative of either caucus in the House or Senate to hold a leadership position and the longest serving Hispanic state official in Ohio history.

Prior to his election, he served as a staff member of the House for about 10 years, including being a legislative aide to former Representative Joseph Koziura and senior policy and budget analyst under Minority Leader Joyce Beatty and Speaker Armond Budish. Ramos has also been a caseworker at the Lorain County Department of Job & Family Services.

Although he does not serve on the committee that handles election issues, Ramos was the House Democratic sponsor of the budget amendment to fund electronic poll books.

“I have always believed that one of the paramount duties of a legislator is to protect the right to vote,” said Ramos. “That’s what makes America, America and us a democracy.

“I am very protective of the right to vote and have been outspoken against anything that makes it more difficult for people to vote. I have defended the early voting period and am against requiring identification, which can prevent people from voting.”


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