CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) –
Early voting will continue as schedule in Ohio, after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to overturn lower court rulings reinstating the final 3 days of early voting.
President Obama’s campaign and Ohio Democrats had sued over a state law that would have ended early voting three days before the Nov. 6 Election Day, except for military personnel and residents living overseas.
Last week, the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a federal district court order to reinstate the 3 busiest days of early voting for all Ohioans. The Sixth Circuit held that the State did not have a good reason for taking away voting opportunities from non-military or overseas voters and that doing so was unconstitutional. The court said the local boards of elections may allow all voters to vote during Saturday, November 3, 2012; Sunday, November 4, 2012; and Monday, November 5, 2012. Secretary Husted tried to appeal the Sixth Circuit’s decision to the U.S. Supreme Court which today refused to take up the appeal.
The complete remaining in-person early voting schedule is:
October 16 thru Friday, October 19 – 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., October 22 thru Friday, October 26 – 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Monday, October 29 thru Thursday, November 1 – 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Friday, November 2 – 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Saturday, November 3 – 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Sunday, November 4 – 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Monday, November 5 – 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
STATEMENT FROM OHIO SECRETARY OF STATE JON HUSTED
“Despite the Court’s decision today to deny our request for a stay, I firmly believe Ohio and its elected legislature should set the rules with respect to elections in Ohio, and not the federal court system. However, the time has come to set aside the issue for this election. Today I have set uniform hours statewide, giving all Ohio voters the same opportunities to vote in the upcoming presidential election regardless of what county they live in.”
http://www.19actionnews.com/story/19834976/early-voting-gets-ok-from-the-us-supreme-court
Article Courtesy of WOIO 19 Action News
