Federal appeals court rescinds simultaneous registration, voting in Ohio

A federal appeals court reversed a lower-court decision, undoing the reinstatement of Ohio’s Golden Week and blocking eligible residents from registering to vote and casting ballots on the same day.

The 2-1 decision Tuesday from a panel of the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnatti sided with Secretary of State Jon Husted, a Republican, calling Ohio “a national leader when it comes to early voting opportunities.”

Judge David W. McKeague, writing for the majority, noted that the legislation that eliminated Golden Week two years ago still afforded “abundant and convenient opportunities for all Ohioans to exercise their right to vote” and was “well within the constitutionally granted prerogative and authority of the Ohio Legislature to regulate state election processes.”

The legislation called for early voting to begin the day after voter registration ended, reducing the absentee voting period by six days. During those six days, unregistered people were able to walk into county board of elections offices, register and then vote during the same visit.

Golden Week would have started Oct. 6. Oct. 11 is the last day to register for the fall election. Early voting starts Oct. 12.

Read more about the matter in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.