Early voting must be allowed on last 3 days before May 7th Election
COLUMBUS – State Rep. Kathleen Clyde (D-Kent) today called on Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted to ensure that early voting is allowed on the three days before the May 7th primary election. The three days before an election are the busiest days of in-person early voting. Keeping early voting open on those days was a highly contested legal battle last fall, and the resulting federal court decision must be followed. Rep Clyde’s letter to Secretary Husted is below:
May 3, 2013
The Honorable Jon Husted
Secretary of State
180 E. Broad Street, 16th floor
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Dear Secretary Husted,
It has come to my attention that a number of counties throughout the state are not allowing in-person early voting on Monday before the May 7th primary election. This list of counties includes Franklin, Lucas, Montgomery, Summit, and Stark counties.
As you know, this is in violation of the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals decision in Obama for America v. Husted. That decision required that Boards of Elections be open for early in-person absentee voting for all voters on the Monday before Election Day, and possibly on the Saturday and/or Sunday before if the Board so chooses.
I am deeply concerned that your office has apparently not met its obligations to ensure compliance with the 6th Circuit decision and instructed Boards of Elections that they must keep the polls open for early voting as required by law. I request that you immediately contact all county boards and inform them of their duty to allow early in-person voting on Monday, May 6th, as well as their option to allow voting on Saturday, May 4th or Sunday, May 5th if necessary.
I further expect that your office will provide appropriate and timely instructions regarding early voting to the Boards of Elections prior to the November general election as well.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Clyde
State Representative