COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio’s top elections official says a decision from a federal judge that blocks a law scaling back early voting hours must be appealed.
“Today’s ruling kicks the door open to having different rules for voting in each of Ohio’s 88 counties, which is not fair and uniform and was not even acceptable to this court or the plaintiffs previously,” Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted said in a statement released after the decision handed down by U.S. District Judge Peter Economus.
“We must appeal this ruling, because we can’t simultaneously treat people the same and differently,” Husted said.
The ruling from comes in a lawsuit filed by civil rights groups and others challenging two early-voting measures. One is a directive from Husted setting uniform voting times that restricted weekend and evening hours. Another is a law that eliminates so-called “golden week” — when people could both register to vote and cast ballots.
“This ruling means voters will not see their access to the ballot compromised during the upcoming election. This is great news, and we look forward to the full trial and when these measures are fully struck down once and for all,” said Freda Levenson, Ohio managing attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union, which filed the challenge to law and Husted’s on behalf of the Ohio Conference of the NAACP, the League of Women Voters of Ohio, and several African-American churches.
See court rulings from 2012 and 2014.
“As we’ve seen time and time again, the federal courts have sided today with Ohio voters. Contrary to the attempts of the GOP-dominated legislature and administration, the courts have shown us that no one can get away with limiting democracy, especially when it comes to our most sacred right to vote,” said Ohio House Democratic Leader Tracy Maxwell Heard (D-Columbus).
The decision blocked a state law and requires Husted to set an expanded voting schedule. The judge barred Husted from preventing boards from adopting additional early voting hours beyond his order.