Both state and federal courts turned away GOP lawsuits challenging Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner’s decision to allow same-day voter registration and early voting. The Ohio Supreme Court upheld Brunner’s decision 4-3, and two federal courts declined to rule the other way. The NYT reports:
The early voting begins Tuesday and runs through Oct. 6. The Ohio Supreme Court and a federal judge in Cleveland on Monday upheld the weeklong voting period. Later in the day, Judge George Smith of Federal District Court in Columbus declined to rule, deferring to the Ohio Supreme Court decision.
But Judge Smith ruled that counties must allow party poll observers during early voting.
The disputed voting window results from an overlap between Tuesday’s beginning of absentee voting 35 days before Election Day, and the Oct. 6 end of voter registration.
The Columbus Dispatch covers the rulings here. There’s lots more on the Ohio State Election Law blog.