COLUMBUS, Ohio — A bill to eliminate the four-day grace period for mail-in absentee ballots to be received by county board of elections offices took another major step forward Tuesday.

The House General Government Committee passed Senate Bill 293 by a vote of 9-4 along party lines with Republicans supporting it. The bill will likely go to the full House for a vote Wednesday.

Currently, ballots can be received by board of elections offices up to four days after an election. Under the bill, absentee ballots must be returned on or before Election Day.

The bill sponsors say 34 states already require that. Ohio would be the 35th. They say it would bring Ohio in line with federal election law.

"Ohioans have the right to vote and we want all valid votes to count, and the process needs to be d

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