Update 09.29.14: Due to an order by the U.S. Supreme Court, Ohio's early voting period has changed. Read our press release: ACLU Comment on Supreme Court Action on Ohio Early Voting. Go to our Vote Center for up to date information.
Last Thursday, in a resounding victory for Ohio voters, a federal district court judge ruled that cuts to early voting opportunities must be reversed in time for the November 2014 election.
A week has passed since the ruling, and Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted has not even begun to comply with the Court’s order. As I write this post, Secretary Husted’s own website officially, and falsely, notifies voters that early in-person voting in Ohio begins on October 7, 2014, rather than on September 30, as the judge ordered.
Golden Week – the unique and precious opportunity of same-day registration – is approaching rapidly. As the days diminish, rather than using his platform to inform voters of this opportunity, Secretary Husted is misleading them.
Go to our Vote Center for up to date information.
Since Secretary Husted has refused to comply on his own, last night the ACLU filed a motion to enforce the Court’s order, and the Court has given the Secretary 24 hours to respond.
This is not the first time he has ignored a court’s order. In 2012, Secretary Husted similarly ignored a ruling by the same judge and had to be ordered to appear in court before he would comply.
High-ranking public officials may not choose which court orders to obey and which to ignore. When Secretary Husted should be using his position to educate Ohioans about their right to vote, he is instead disseminating misinformation and flouting a Court order.
Support the ACLU as we fight for Ohio voters – especially since our state’s highest elections official chooses not to.
