Access to political participation in the United States has always been contested. The extensions of voting rights from only property owners, to include all white men, then people of color, and finally women, are now regarded as important milestones in the deepening of the democratic process in this country. And while some will label these previous restrictions as products of a less enlightened era, the struggle for broader enfranchisement continues.

In February, the Ohio legislature passed Senate Bill 238, eliminating the first week of in-person absentee voting. Known as Golden Week, it was the only time when people could register […]