Republican state Rep. Tex Fischer could be the next candidate to be hit by the same name-change law that Republicans challenged — and in one case disqualified — three transgender candidates earlier this year.
Except for an express exception that allows married women to omit their maiden names on the same candidacy petition, all Ohioans are any legal name changes are required that have taken place in the last five years and concern their candidate petitions.
According to news reports, Fischer legally changed his name from Austin James Fischer to Austin James Texford Fischer in 2020, but he did not provide his previous name on official campaign documents. Cleveland.com reports.
Based on his knowledge of Fischer’s name change, Mahoning County Democratic Party Chairman Chris Anderson filed a complaint with Mahoning County Board of Electionswhich has prompted an investigation that could lead to Fischer being removed from the ballot in November.
“At the end of the day, I don’t care what his name is. My question is, does the law apply? Because if the law applies, it has to be applied equally.” – Anderson he told reporters at WKBN.
Fischer’s eligibility questioned
Earlier this summer, Fischer was appointed to represent Ohio’s 58th congressional district, filling the vacancy left by Republican Al Cutron, who moved to the state Senate to finish the term of current U.S. Rep. Michael Rulli.
The 28-year-old political consultant is set to appear in the upcoming November election as Tex Fischer. However, if he wins in violation of state election law, he could be suspended, forced to resign and ordered to repay the salary he earned as an elected official.
In response to Anderson’s complaint, the Mahoning County Election Board conducted an official investigation into Fischer’s eligibility, including a formal hearing.
On August 15, board members cast a split vote and forwarded the decision to Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, who would decide the tie.
“I’m just trying to see if this law actually applies equally or if it’s like everything else we’ve seen in Columbus,” Anderson said. in a separate interview with reporters from the Statehouse News Bureau.
Fischer called this challenge “petty political nonsense” but said he believed “the spirit of the law at issue is reasonable.”
A challenge for transgender candidates
In Ohio, three transgender people have already been directly challenged over their former names.
Although Ohio House of Representatives candidates Arienne Childrey and Bobbie Brooke Arnold are expected to appear in the November election, they could be forced to vacate their seats if they win in violation of state election laws.
A third candidate, Vanessa Joy, was disqualified from the Stark County ballot altogether because she failed to provide her previous name in her initial candidacy filing.
Democratic State Representative Beryl Brown-Piccolantonio he told Cleveland.com reporter Jake Zuckerman hopes that the Fischer case will set a precedent.
“If someone has gone through the process of legally changing their name, there is absolutely no reason they should be required to disclose their previous names,” she said. “This situation with my colleague is no different than what happened late last year/early this year with candidates.”
Name Change Bill Conflict at State Capitol
In May, members House of Representatives Government Oversight Committee heard testimony on conflicting bills addressing the rights of transgender candidates in Ohio running for public office:
HB467which would grant an exception to a little-known Ohio law requiring candidates to formally disclose any name changes in the past five years, and HB471which would give voters registered with any political party a legal basis to challenge the legitimacy of transgender candidates if they did not publicly disclose their previous names.
Republican state Reps. Rodney Creech and Angie King — who are set to face Arnold and Childrey, respectively, in the 2024 general election — are the only two candidates for the Ohio House of Representatives running against transgender opponents.
Transgender candidate Ari Faber is running for the 30th Senate District seat, which includes Athens, Belmont, Harrison, Jefferson, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Noble and Washington counties. 🔥
Ignite the action
- To register to vote or check your voting status in Ohio, Click here.
- To find contact information for your Ohio State Representative, Click here.
- To find the contact information for an Ohio State Senator, Click here.
- If you are a teenage LGBTQ+ person in crisis, please reach out Trevor’s Project: 866-4-U-Trevor.
- If you are a transgender adult and need immediate lend a hand, please contact National Transgender Lifeline: 877-565-8860
