Ohio voting rights advocates are celebrating today’s decision by U.S. District Judge Peter Economus to restore three days of early voting in the state. State Senator Nina Turner (D) called it “extraordinary for democracy” on Friday’s Ed Show. But that celebration comes with a tinge of caution.
Republican Attorney General Mike DeWine said this afternoon that he will appeal the judge’s decision to the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals.
On The Rachel Maddow Show, the host interviewed Donita Judge, the lead attorney for Ohio’s Advancement Project, who says there is no practical argument against early voting “other than to throw out the red herring of voter fraud.”
Judge said the real fraud is “right wing politicians manipulating the voting laws because they actually know who’s voting” – in early voting in Ohio, it’s disproportionately African-Americans and traditionally Democratic voters. “Elections have to be free, fair and accessible, and that’s what the decisions said this week,” said Judge. The Advancement Project had a victory this week, but with just over two months left until the election in November, and the legal fight dragging on, Judge said it’s “already caused a lot of confusion in the state.”
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