Ohio elections chief reverses ban on early voting

Four voters in Newark, Ohio, fill out their ballots on November 3, 2008, during early voting on the Monday before Election Day. / Chris Hondros/Getty Images

(AP) COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio's election chief is taking back an order that prohibited county officials from setting any hours during the final days of in-person, early voting.

The moves comes Friday after a federal judge this week ordered Secretary of State Jon Husted to appear at a court hearing over the swing state's early voting rules.

Attorneys for President Barack Obama's campaign have urged the judge to enforce his ruling that restores early voting for all voters during the three days before Election Day.

The state is appealing the decision.

Husted told local boards of election on Tuesday they were banned from setting hours that a court could later change. But he rescinded that directive on Friday.

Husted also asked the judge Friday to hold off enforcing his ruling while it's appealed.

Husted 9/4 directive on early voting order (pdf)

[marychgo]

I'm still wondering whether the two Democrats who were fired from one of the county board for not going along with Husted are going to get their appointments back....

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

Republicans always say America is a center right country. Wouldn't more voters vote for republicans if that were true? Yes but it's a lie like everything else those treasonous as wipes say.

[RollotheNorman]

Telling point. If the RepubliCONs have confidence in the broad appeal of their platform, why are they trying to limit opportunities for people to cast their vote? MMMmmmmmm, do ya think Boehner may be lying every time he starts off a comment with "The American people, think, say, want, etc...."

[alphaa10000]

OPEN MARKET, CLOSED POLITICS ?

Ben37221 said, "What have the GOP become? A bunch of crocks who are willing to deny fellow Americans the right to vote so as to win an election... (?)"
--------

As Michael Moore comments, if the GOP believed this country were a Republican majority, it would open polling places in WalMart.

Clearly, the GOP worries about the opposite-- the country is a liberal majority-- and the GOP would do almost anything to stop traditionally Democratic voter groups from voting.

These groups include women, young people, students and non-WASP demographics.

Of course, the GOP admits such people do have their place, and pats them on the back for paying their taxes and risking their lives and children in military service for this country, but... they really, really shouldn't vote in such large numbers.

You see, it might get out of hand. Such voters might make the wrong decision, and "distort" the democratic outcome.

[Colt4542]

I just don't understand how it's the Republicans that are trying to prevent people from voting. How is it that only Democrats have a problem getting to the polls, or getting an ID, or just showing up to vote. Let's set a standard set of rules all states can agree on. Tue-Sat 7a-7p plus the following Tue. Absentee's should be mailed early enough to be received, completed and returned in time to be counted in the general election. REQUIRE a valid ID to participate. Doesn't seem that complicated. And if the rules apply to everyone how is anyone disenfranchised?

[NottaMoron]

Because Republicans are more engaged than Democrats. Especially these days! Even those of the lowest degree of engagement among Republicans have been made aware, by conservative media, that there is a foreign, black man at the helm who is trying to turn our country into a 1930's Germany or cold war Russia or something. Basically, someone who is alien to the American way, trying to destroy us. 5 mins. consumption of any conservative media will make that clear.

Sensational, over the top, fantastical delusion has a way of drawing people in for more. Republicans are "losing America", crushed by the "tyranny" of Obama. Funny how much more engaged people are when they are taught to believe such travesties are occurring around them. The knowledge among Republicans about voter id law changes is vastly greater than among Democrats.

The casual voter, who is also a Democrat but not closely following politics will be caught unaware as they show up to vote. Then, it will be too late to do anything about it. Republicans have all been indoctrinated to abandon all that is not conservative news and political discussion. Republicans are betting that their exclusive followers will be fully aware of the new laws, more so than Democrats.

[Ben37221]

What have the GOP become? A bunch of crocks who are willing to deny fellow Americans the right to vote so as to win an election. Any American who is not offended by this should question their patriotism, and their humanity.
The GOP have become the party of bigots and criminals. No one should mess with the right of any American to vote, irrespective of who you are voting for.

[RetiredArmy_Nurse]

It is the idle rich who are a bunch of leeches. Romney pays capital gains taxes ~ 13% on his $25 million income. He does this often with just the stroke of his accountant's pen as so many working Americans stuggle in hourly wage jobs. How has he amassed an IRA of $100 million when the max contribution we could make was $2,000 per year since 1978? This is what we need to examine. He has made his money by immoral means. It is fine to be wealthy, but with wealth comes moral responsibility. Responsibility to give back to society and the nation that has made you wealthy. Where has Romney done this? Aside from his tithe to Mormanism he has not.

[Colt4542]

RetiredArmy_Nurse - the way to accumulate wealth in an IRA is to invest in gaining or dividend stocks. The maximum amount you can ADD in any given tax year is on a sliding scale and depends on your age. See http://beginnersinvest.about.com/cs/iras/a/iracontribution.htm. For a Traditional IRA taxes are DEFERRED until withdrawn at which time regular income tax is due. Any gains in the account are not taxed until withdrawn. For a Roth IRA, contributions are AFTER taxes. Withdrawals are tax free including any gains in the account. There are also "catch-up" deposits permitted depending on age. I strongly suspect Mr. Romney has a lot more investments than just an IRA. PS - Mrs. Romney could also have an IRA of her own. Are you faulting the Romney's because they have money? Don't know about you but I'd swap places with them in a heart beat.

[Colt4542]

OK, focused on early voting. Why is there early voting, anyway? I'm 70 and have voted in every election since age 21 (could not vote at 18 until the Vietnam era). There was not early voting in those days. It was a Tuesday, 7am-7pm local time. We stood in line for hours because we WANTED to vote. While in line, we socialized with our neighbors and got to know people we never met before. Most of that community spirit is gone now.

Suggestion: If we really need early voting to accommodate working people, maybe those on shift work, then make it the Tue-Sat prior to the Tue election day. Hours could be 7a-7p. Before getting so excited about early voting keep in mind the local supervisor of elections has to run the election and have staff at each polling place. The more days, the longer the hours, the more expensive the election becomes.

[netjunkie1]

Back when you were 21, the local store was as far as you needed to go for almost all your needs, there existed places that fixed your toaster, and coffee pot, milk was delivered, so were diaper services.
Today's world has changed alot of things since then I'm sure you agree.

[Colt4542]

netjunkie1 - things surely have changed and I'm not sure it's all for the better. Sometimes "change" is actually a step backwards and the young generation needs to be reminded of such occasionally by the older generation.

[wdrussell1]

MAKE EVERYTHING LOCAL!
If you are a legal American citizen who has a right to vote and you are denied that right. File federal voting fraud charges against your local Board of Elections. We were just following orders did not work at Nuremberg.

[robert1129]

Romney/Ryan and the rest of the Repubs reall fouled up on this. Early on, the Repub Secretary of State tried to curtail early voting for all but the military. Obama sued to allow everyone to early vote. The Repubs, as usual, came out with ads accussing Obama with unpatriotically not allowing the military to vote. Now the legal system is saying that every eligible vote, militar or civilian, can early vote.

[GOP-R--Con-Men]

Republicans are a cancer on our great nation. They have use their public office to subvert democracy and our constitution with their bogus voter I.D. Laws and obstruction of legislation in congress to help struggling Americans. The media is derelict in its dty to the American public. It has not made their subversion front page news as it deserves. How it the subversion of democracy and our constitution not a HUGE STORY DESERVING OF CONTINUAL FRONT PAGE COVERAGE?

[qyeteye]

Party of freedom & liberty sold their soul and that of the nation and have been acting like it.

[Colt4542]

If the media pointed out the Obama hidden agenda (which they won't) and the subversion it drives the public would rightly be outraged. Obama, Pelosi and Reed are the 3 most dangerous people in the country today. They would have America a socialist state right now if they could. Remember, Polisi said 'you have to pass it before you can read it'. Politicians are supposed to serve the country not ruin it for their own gain. How did Pelosi and Reed make their millions? They certainly didn't work for it.

[cntrygirl3]

This is typical republican strategy, Do anything ANYTHING to keep people from voting. This reaches from a phone campaign in Virginia trying to convince black people that democrats voted the day AFTER the election. To trying to roll back early voting. To purge voter roles and up to 90% of those deleted are eligible voters. sjc is right they are running out of old white guys and this is their last chance to take enough power to change the rules so nobody else gets to vote. If they take congress and the white house look for it.