WASHINGTON — A three-judge panel of the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday unanimously upheld a trial court ruling that restores early voting time in Ohio.
The opinion, by Judge Karen Nelson Moore, upholds a Sept. 4 decision that stops Ohio officials from enforcing an Ohio law that reduced the early voting period. Additionally, the trial court stopped enforcement of a related order from Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted that limited the ability of county boards of elections to provide for additional early voting hours.
In a news release supporting the ruling, the ACLU noted that the trial court ruling had restored the first week of early voting — called the "Golden Week," because voters are able to register and cast a ballot on the same day — as well as evening early voting and multiple Sundays of early voting.
The panel consisted of three reliably liberal judges, all appointed by Democratic presidents. If the state wishes to appeal the decision, it could now seek en banc review of the decision, which would mean that all of the judges of the 6th Circuit would rehear the state's case if they accept en banc review, or the state could seek Supreme Court review.
"Once again a court has stepped up to safeguard the vote for thousands of Ohioans who want to participate in the midterm election free of obstruction," said Dale Ho, director of the ACLU's Voting Rights Project, in a statement. "This decision protects the people's voice at the polls and the integrity of our elections."
And, a simple ending:
