Judge orders change to Ohio provisional voting

COLUMBUS (AP) — A federal judge has ordered Ohio to change its rules for counting provisional ballots to ensure that more of the votes can be cast in the upcoming presidential election.

At issue are requirements for when a poll worker is permitted to reject a provisional ballot, typically a ballot cast in the wrong precinct.

Federal judge Algenon Marbley said in a 61-page ruling today that advocacy groups have presented strong evidence that thousands of legally-registered voters will be deprived of their voting rights in November because of poll worker error.

Judge Marbley ordered Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted to issue new rules within 10 days making it harder for provisional ballots to be rejected.

A Husted spokesman said an appeal was likely.