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Dispute Over Changes to Ohio’s Voting System Heads to Trial
By: Anne Sanner
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Democrats in the swing state of Ohio claim in a federal lawsuit that a series of voting-related changes made by Republicans disproportionately and violate certain constitutional rights and burden voters who lean Democratic.
The state’s Republican elections chief, Jon Husted, contends Ohio’s voting process is fair. He’s called the lawsuit politically motivated.
A federal judge plans to begin hearing testimony in the case on Monday.
The plaintiffs include the state’s Democratic Party and the Cuyahoga and Montgomery county parties.
Democrats are challenging policies that include the elimination of a week of early voting in which Ohioans could also register to vote. Other rules relate to casting and counting absentee and provisional ballots.
Democrats want the court to block the policies from being enforced and give certain discretion to county elections boards.