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Wednesday September 05, 2012

Longer Than the Ohio River…

Posted by Jane Kaddouri at 9:59 am

Ohio Ohio’s debate on early voting got a little longer today. And even more confusing.

On Friday, a District Judge struck down a proposed early voting schedule that would have given three more voting days to members of the military and individuals living abroad. The ruling came after the Obama campaign challenged the new schedule, which was put forth by Ohio Secretary of State John Husted. Judge Peter Economus ordered a return to the state’s previous voting schedule, which permitted all Ohio voters to cast ballots up until the day before the election.

However, Economus’ ruling is not the last word in the debate. Today, Husted and Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine appealed the judge’s ruling. Both sides in Obama for America v Husted will be asked to file statements on their positions. In the meantime, Husted wrote a memo to all Ohio Boards of Elections, saying that he will not change the parameters of in-person early voting in accordance with Friday’s ruling, because “announcing new hours before the court case reaches final resolution will only serve to confuse voters and conflict with the standard of uniformity sought in Directive 2012-35.”

But take a look at Directive 2012-35. You’ll notice that it directs offices to remain open only through regular business hours on Friday, November 2, and mentions no other provision for military personne—the very issue at stake in Obama for America v Husted. Like you, we look forward to the Court’s final decision to provide much needed clarity on when Ohioans can vote in November.

Tagged as Issues, State Specific, Ohio, Yalla Vote, Election Central

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