Two Republican state House lawmakers have introduced another bill to make Ohio a “closed primary” state, which would require voters to declare a party affiliation while banning them from voting or running for office in another party’s primary election. House Bill 437 is in response to a state appeals court judge who previously ran and voted in Democratic primaries, but is now seeking re-election as a Republican. Gee. Sounds like a local county commissioner can identify with this judge. Ohio has had 111 years of open primaries. Now Republicans want to have closed primaries that only elevate extremists and party machines over the power and freedom of voters.

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