Federal Judge Rules in Favor of Obama on Early Voting

A Federal judge rules with Obama that Ohio cannot stop early voting during the 3 days before the election as HB224 attempted. It’s unclear what effect this will have on Secretary of State Jon Husted’s recent directive and firing of two Democrat elections officials who defied said directive.

Jon Husted, meet the United States Constitution.

View the entire decision (pdf) [h/t OhioCapitalBlog]

We wrote earlier about how the OFA/DNC/ODP lawsuit brought against Secretary of State Husted was being misrepresented by Romney and his fans over at Third Grade Politics as taking away voting days from the military and their families.  It was a cynical attempt to distract attention away from the relentless voter suppression being waged by the GOP.

It appears the court agrees that provisions in ORC 3509.03 to change the early voting period is unconstitutional and Husted has been ordered to restore early voting.

Ritchie and Lieberman were right.

So far GOP voter suppression is batting 0-4.  Two decisions in Texas.  One in Florida.  Now 1 in Ohio.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that in-person early voting IS RESTORED on the three days immediately preceding Election Day for all eligible Ohio voters. And specifically, for the purposes of the 2012 General Election, this Order restores in-person early voting to all eligible Ohio voters on Saturday, November 3, 2012; Sunday, November 4, 2012; and Monday, November 5, 2012. This Court anticipates that Defendant Secretary of State will direct all Ohio elections boards to maintain a specific, consistent schedule on those three days, in keeping with his earlier directive that only by doing so can he ensure that Ohio’s election process is “uniform, accessible for all, fair, and secure.”

IT IS SO ORDERED.