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Supreme Court Decision Allows Ohio's Final Early Voting Weekend To Proceed

The U.S. Supreme Court sides with Democrats in refusing to block early voting in Ohio. The court today refused a Republican request to get involved in a dispute over early voting in the state on the three days before Election Day. 

The campaign of President Obama and Ohio Democrats sued the state over changes in Ohio law that took away the three days of voting for most people, but made exceptions for military personnel and Ohioans living overseas. Democrats say nearly 100,000 people voted in the three days before the election in 2008. A federal appeals court ruling reinstated voting on the weekend before the election and Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted, a Republican, appealed that ruling to the Supreme Court.

Shortly after the decision, Husted released the following statement:

 

Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted today issued a directive establishing uniform hours for in-person absentee voting on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday before Election Day. A copy of the directive has been attached and included below:

DIRECTIVE 2012-50

October 16, 2012

To:          All County Boards of Elections

Directors, Deputy Directors, and Board Members

Re:         Uniform Days and Hours for In-Person Absentee Voting from November 3, 2012 through November 5, 2012

I hereby set uniform days and hours for in-person absentee voting, for UOCAVA and non-UOCAVA voters alike, as follows:

Saturday, November 3, 2012 – 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Sunday, November 4, 2012 – 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Monday, November 5, 2012 – 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

This Directive expands the uniform days and hours for in-person absentee voting established by Directive 2012-35, which remains in effect. As such, Boards are reminded that any voter in line when that day’s hours for in-person absentee voting ends, may remain in line to apply for and receive an absentee ballot in person.

Mike Foley joined WCBE in February 2000, coming from WUFT in Gainesville, Florida. Foley has worked in various roles, from producing news and feature stories to engineering Live From Studio A sessions. A series of music features Foley started in 2018 called Music Journeys has grown into a podcast and radio show. He also assists in developing other programs in WCBE's Podcast Experience. Foley hosts The Morning Mix, a weekday music show featuring emerging and established musicians, our Columbus-area and Ohio-based talent, and additional artists that inspire him.