A federal judge this week is considering changes in Ohio voting laws made by GOP lawmakers, and whether the changes unfairly burden some voters. From Ohio Public Radio station, WKSU M.L. Schultze has more.
The trial focuses on changes such as cutting early voting hours and eliminating the week when voters could register and cast ballots at the same time.
One of the Democrats most outspoken on voting issues, state Rep. Kathleen Clyde, says her concerns include those changes. But she’s also arguing with the increasing number of ballots thrown out for things like missing zip codes on ballot application envelopes.
“What good is your vote if you cast it and then it’s not counted and you don’t even know that it wasn’t counted. You could make that mistake over and over and you don’t even know that you’ve been disenfranchised.”
Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted notes that Ohio still has more early voting hours than most states, and that early voting increased – not decreased – after the changes were made.