Rep. Clyde & Democrats Call for Early Voting Through the Monday Before Election Day

State Senator Nina Turner (D-Cleveland) and State Representative Kathleen Clyde (D-Kent) along with their Democratic colleagues on Wednesday called on Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted to order county boards of elections to open their doors to early voters through the Monday before the upcoming election. Counties across the state are currently scheduled to end early voting on different days for some or all voters in violation of the law.   

“We won this victory for Ohio voters last fall when the final days of early voting were cancelled by the GOP, then reinstated by a federal court and upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court,” Rep. Clyde said. “Secretary Husted hasn’t done his duty of ensuring boards of elections follow the law. We urge Secretary Husted to immediately instruct all boards of elections to open their doors to all early voters through Monday, November 4. These continued attacks on early voting must stop.”

The federal court’s decision in Obama for America v. Husted last November required that Boards of Elections be open for early in-person absentee voting for all voters through the Monday before Election Day. Secretary of State Husted has not notified county boards of elections that they must provide early voting in a way that ensures Equal Protection of the laws for all voters, like the federal court ordered last fall.

“Jon Husted's refusal to provide for early in-person voting opportunities to all Ohioans on the final days before the election wrongly limits ballot access,” Sen. Turner said. “We should be making it easier—not harder—to vote. Every election is important, and we need to help send that message by making every election an open, convenient opportunity for all voters to participate in their government.  To that end, Secretary Husted must order the boards of elections to be open for early voting through the Monday before this election.”

Many Ohio counties are not allowing in-person early voting on the Monday before the November 5 general election, including Franklin, Montgomery and Lucas. Cuyahoga and Hamilton Counties are allowing early voting through Monday, November 4.