The Portage County Board of Elections in Ohio has voted to remove the sheriff’s office from its election security plan after the sheriff made a controversial post about people who display Vice President Kamala Harris yard signs.
Portage County Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski came under fire after posting on his personal Facebook account a screenshot of a Fox News segment that criticized the Biden–Harris administration for the border crisis.
In the Sept. 13 post, Zuchowski suggested to “write down all the addresses of the people who had [Harris] signs in their yards” so they will know where to send illegal immigrants, who he referred to as “human locust.”
The post no longer appears to be visible on his Facebook account as of Monday. Zuchowski said in a Sept. 17 post that his comments “may have been a little misinterpreted.”
Randi Clites, member of the Portage County Board of Elections, said on Facebook on Sept. 20 the board voted 3–1 in favor of her motion to remove the sheriff’s department from providing security during in-person absentee voting.
Clites said the move was necessary to ensure “a safe and secure election process,” noting that recent public comments indicated that “there is perceived intimidation by our Sheriff against certain voters.”
“While it is not my responsibility to weigh in on the Sheriffs comments directly, I feel strongly it is in my responsibility to make sure I do what is in my authority to make sure every voter in Portage County feels safe casting their ballot for any candidate they choose.
“I believe walking into a voting location where a Sheriff Deputy can be seen may discourage voters from entering,” she said in a statement that was shared by the Portage County Democrats.
In the Sept. 17 post, Zuchowski said that as “the elected sheriff” of the county, he also had the First Amendment right to express his own views.
The sheriff said he believes that those who vote for “individuals with liberal policies ... have to accept responsibility for their actions.”
“If the citizens of Portage County want to elect an individual who has supported open borders (which I’ve personally visited Twice!) and neglected to enforce the laws of our Country ... then that is their prerogative,” he stated.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine told WKYC Channel 3 on Sept. 19 that Zuchowski has the right “to say what he wants to” on social media, but he thinks the sheriff’s comments were “unfortunate” and “not helpful.”
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio had earlier urged the sheriff to retract his statement, saying that it posed “an impermissible” threat against residents who wish to engage in protected First Amendment activity.
“Many have reasonably understood his posts to be a threat of governmental action to punish them for their expressed political beliefs and have been coerced to take down or refrain from putting up a yard sign,” Freda Levenson, legal director at the ACLU of Ohio, said in a statement.
