"Long Lines at Franklin County Early Voting Center - Columbus, Ohio" (Photo: Chris Goldberg)
Sep 05, 2014
In what is being cheered by civil liberties advocates as a victory, a federal judge on Thursday ruled that (pdf) Ohio's cuts to early voting are unconstitutional and in violation of the Voting Rights Act.
The ACLU and ACLU of Ohio field the suit on behalf of the Ohio chapter of the NAACP, the League of Women Voters of Ohio and three churches.
In his ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Peter C. Economus agreed with the plaintiffs' argument, stating that the cuts "result in fewer opportunities for African Americans to participate in the electoral process."
His ruling, the New York Timesreports, means the state must "restore early voting during evenings and on at least two Sundays, and to reinstate Golden Week, the first week of early voting in which many African-American churches organize congregants to register and vote on the same day."
As Ari Berman wrote for The Nation,
There's an important backstory here. Early voting became a critical reform in Ohio after the disastrous 2004 election. Once Democrats and minority groups began using it in large numbers, Republicans repeatedly tried to curb early voting.
"If these cuts had been allowed to remain in place, many voters would have lost a critical opportunity to participate in our democratic process this November," stated Dale Ho, director of the ACLU's Voting Rights Project. "This is a huge victory for Ohio voters and for all those who believe in protecting the integrity of our elections."
Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted vowed, "We must appeal this ruling."
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
In what is being cheered by civil liberties advocates as a victory, a federal judge on Thursday ruled that (pdf) Ohio's cuts to early voting are unconstitutional and in violation of the Voting Rights Act.
The ACLU and ACLU of Ohio field the suit on behalf of the Ohio chapter of the NAACP, the League of Women Voters of Ohio and three churches.
In his ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Peter C. Economus agreed with the plaintiffs' argument, stating that the cuts "result in fewer opportunities for African Americans to participate in the electoral process."
His ruling, the New York Timesreports, means the state must "restore early voting during evenings and on at least two Sundays, and to reinstate Golden Week, the first week of early voting in which many African-American churches organize congregants to register and vote on the same day."
As Ari Berman wrote for The Nation,
There's an important backstory here. Early voting became a critical reform in Ohio after the disastrous 2004 election. Once Democrats and minority groups began using it in large numbers, Republicans repeatedly tried to curb early voting.
"If these cuts had been allowed to remain in place, many voters would have lost a critical opportunity to participate in our democratic process this November," stated Dale Ho, director of the ACLU's Voting Rights Project. "This is a huge victory for Ohio voters and for all those who believe in protecting the integrity of our elections."
Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted vowed, "We must appeal this ruling."
In what is being cheered by civil liberties advocates as a victory, a federal judge on Thursday ruled that (pdf) Ohio's cuts to early voting are unconstitutional and in violation of the Voting Rights Act.
The ACLU and ACLU of Ohio field the suit on behalf of the Ohio chapter of the NAACP, the League of Women Voters of Ohio and three churches.
In his ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Peter C. Economus agreed with the plaintiffs' argument, stating that the cuts "result in fewer opportunities for African Americans to participate in the electoral process."
His ruling, the New York Timesreports, means the state must "restore early voting during evenings and on at least two Sundays, and to reinstate Golden Week, the first week of early voting in which many African-American churches organize congregants to register and vote on the same day."
As Ari Berman wrote for The Nation,
There's an important backstory here. Early voting became a critical reform in Ohio after the disastrous 2004 election. Once Democrats and minority groups began using it in large numbers, Republicans repeatedly tried to curb early voting.
"If these cuts had been allowed to remain in place, many voters would have lost a critical opportunity to participate in our democratic process this November," stated Dale Ho, director of the ACLU's Voting Rights Project. "This is a huge victory for Ohio voters and for all those who believe in protecting the integrity of our elections."
Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted vowed, "We must appeal this ruling."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.