A federal court has struck down restrictions in Ohio's House Bill 458 that would have made it more difficult for Ohioans with disabilities to cast their votes.

The bill would have made it a crime for all but a handful of family members to assist disabled voters in casting absentee ballots in Ohio.

Under the proposed legislation, only the individual's spouse, parents, in-laws, grandparents, sons, daughters, brothers or sisters were able to help disabled voters cast their votes.

This means it would have been considered a crime for someone like a friend, neighbor or even a caregiver to assist these voters in casting their absentee ballots.

However, the court ruled that section 208 of the Voting Rights Act allows for voters with disabilities to "select a person of their choice to assist them 

Back in May, 21 News spoke with League of Women Voters Director Jen Miller who took issue with this proposed legislation, who told us she took issue with these restrictions because not every voter has access to individuals allowed to help them

"We have many situations where individuals have lived together for decades as roommates but one roommate cannot return the other's absentee ballot without fearing a felony sentence," Miller said.

Now, Miller is quoted in a press release praising the court for striking these restrictions down.

"We applaud the court for upholding the Voting Rights Act because grandkids, roommates and other common-sense helpers should be able to assist their loved ones without fear of a felony sentence," Miller said.

Megan Keenan, a staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union's (ACLU) Voting Rights Project also weighed in expressing her support for the court's ruling.

"The Voting Rights Act contains a clear command: States must allow voters with disabilities to receive assistance from a person of the voter's choice, not a person of the state's choice," Keenan said.

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