US Supreme Court: Let early voting in Ohio 3 days before election proceed

COLUMBUS — Ohio voters will get a few extra days to cast ballots, after the U.S. Supreme Court denied Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted's request to close the polls three days early.

In a one-sentence filing today, the court denied a stay in the case, allowing earlier rulings ordering early in-person voting on Nov 3, 4 and 5 — the Saturday, Sunday and Monday before Election Day.

"This action from the highest court in the land marks the end of the road in our fight to ensure open voting this year for all Ohioans, including military, veterans, and overseas voters," Bob Bauer, legal counsel for President Barack Obama's re-election campaign, which filed the original suit, said in a released statement.

Husted today issued a directive establishing uniform hours for in-person absentee voting on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday before Election Day. The hours are:

Saturday, November 3, 2012 – 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Sunday, November 4, 2012 – 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Monday, November 5, 2012 – 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.