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Federal judge restores early voting days in Ohio

What a week for democracy!On Wednesday, a federal judge said he'd issue a permanent injunction against provisions in that state's new election
Sheenae Westmoreland drops her ballot into the box after voting at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012, in Cleveland.
Sheenae Westmoreland drops her ballot into the box after voting at the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012, in Cleveland.

What a week for democracy!

On Wednesday, a federal judge said he'd issue a permanent injunction against provisions in that state's new election law that restricts third-party voter registration drives.

Yesterday, a federal appeals court in Washington struck down the Texas voter ID law requiring photos for voters at the polls, calling it racially discriminatory.

Then today, a federal judge in Ohio issued a preliminary injunction in the case involving state law that cuts off early voting on the Friday evening before a Tuesday election, except for military personnel and Ohio voters living overseas.

U.S. District Judge Peter Economus concluded that the law violates the Constitution’s guarantee that all voters enjoy equal access to the franchise.

Republicans passed the law in an effort to suppress the vote, making it more difficult for Democratic constituencies to vote. 

Attorney General Mike DeWine quickly announced he would appeal the decision.  

Ed is very passionate about the issue of voter suppression and he'll dive into today's decision tonight at 8pET on msnbc with outspoken state Sen. Nina Turner (D-OH).


"If you are poor, working class, middle class, elderly, African-American, Hispanic or a woman, you are SOL when it comes to Republicans," Turner said in her latest appearance on The Ed Show (on Aug. 23, 2012).  Here's the video: