By Ray Sanchez

The small north-central Ohio city of Sandusky, on the shore of Lake Erie, has unwillingly thrust itself into a contentious nationwide debate over increasing voter turnout: officially swapping Columbus Day for Election Day as a paid holiday.

"Some of it was just dumb luck as to the timing of the national conversation," City Manager Eric Wobser told CNN on Saturday.

The new rule, which takes effect this year, coincides with sweeping Democratic legislation that would make Election Day a federal holiday, prohibit the purging of voter rolls and require presidential candidates to release their tax returns, among other changes.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell last week drew backlash from Democrats for calling the House bill a "power grab," mocking it as the "Democratic Politician Protection Act" and arguing that it rewrites the "the rules of Americans politics for the exclusive benefit of the Democratic Party.