Ohio’s Stark County Board of Elections is standing behind its decision to disqualify transgender state House candidate Vanessa Joy.
The board was asked to reconsider.
The decision was made because Joy omitting from circulating petitions the name given at birth.
As per state law, candidates must disclose any name changes that occurred within five years on their petitions, except for changes resulting from marriage. The law, meant to weed out bad actors.
However, the law is purportedly unknown to many elections officials and not listed in the candidate requirement guide.
Vanessa Joy, a real estate photographer from Massillon, Ohio, expressed frustration with the county board’s decision. According to Joy, she feels disappointed that her campaign is over, and she is working with an attorney to change state law regarding the inclusion of transgender candidates who don’t want to disclose their previous names. It is believed that disclosing past names could pose severe risks to transgender candidates.
Three other Democratic transgender state House candidates were cleared to run by their respective boards of elections last week. Even if Vanessa Joy doesn’t succeed in changing the law before November, and the opposition wins, there is still a possibility that they could be ejected from their positions.
Republican Gov. Mike DeWine has stated his belief that the law regarding transgender candidates should be amended and that they shouldn’t be disqualified on these grounds.
