WASHINGTON, DC –Congresswoman Marcia Fudge (OH-11) applauds the preliminary injunction granted by U.S. District Court Judge Peter C. Economus’ that restores all 35 early voting days in Ohio today.  In his decision, the judge found that the law and directive to limit early voting hours were unconstitutional and violated the Voting Rights Act of 1965.  The following statement is Rep. Fudge’s response to the decision:

“I am ecstatic voting opportunities have been restored to the people of Ohio.  By reducing early voting days and hours and eliminating Golden Week – a one-week period in which voters can register and vote at the same time— the Ohio Legislature made it harder for thousands of Ohioans to access the ballot box. Moreover, these changes had a disparate, negative impact on some voters but not others.  No democracy should seek to reduce voter participation.  By granting a preliminary injunction, U.S. District Court Judge Peter Economus has reversed the potential harm that unjust Ohio laws and regulations would have caused and restored integrity to the electoral process in time for the 2014 election.”

Background: Congresswoman Fudge sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder November 27, 2013 asking him to examine Senate Bill 238 that reduced early voting days and was enacted into Ohio law February 21, 2014.  She sent an additional letter to Attorney General Holder January 24, 2014 urging him to monitor the effects of Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted’s directive to limit the number of hours voters can access the polls.  In July, the Department of Justice filed a Statement of Interest in NAACP v. Husted.

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