10.31.2004
Ruling on Ohio Voter Challenges Is Upheld (WashingtonPost.com)
By Tallying The Vote
Saturday, October 30, 2004; Page A09
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit ruled yesterday that Republicans could not challenge 35,000 voter registrations, upholding a lower court ruling.
The GOP's fallback plan -- to challenge voters at the polls on Election Day -- was the subject of a lawsuit in federal court that was pending last night.
Hoping to put an end to the tangle of litigation, Republican Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell yesterday asked Ohio's Republican attorney general, Jim Petro, to tell the federal court that challengers of all parties would be barred from polling places.
Democrats had alleged that the challenges were disproportionately aimed at minority voters. Blackwell, who is black, said that he did not believe that "there was discriminatory intent."
But Petro refused to comply with Blackwell's request. With the question still in the hands of a federal court, the GOP said last night that it is still prepared to put challengers at the polls.
"Right now, the law allows challengers," Republican lawyer David Weaver said. "Everyone's waiting to see what happens next."
-- Jo Becker
Ruling on Ohio Voter Challenges Is Upheld (washingtonpost.com) ¶ 14:50
Saturday, October 30, 2004; Page A09
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit ruled yesterday that Republicans could not challenge 35,000 voter registrations, upholding a lower court ruling.
The GOP's fallback plan -- to challenge voters at the polls on Election Day -- was the subject of a lawsuit in federal court that was pending last night.
Hoping to put an end to the tangle of litigation, Republican Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell yesterday asked Ohio's Republican attorney general, Jim Petro, to tell the federal court that challengers of all parties would be barred from polling places.
Democrats had alleged that the challenges were disproportionately aimed at minority voters. Blackwell, who is black, said that he did not believe that "there was discriminatory intent."
But Petro refused to comply with Blackwell's request. With the question still in the hands of a federal court, the GOP said last night that it is still prepared to put challengers at the polls.
"Right now, the law allows challengers," Republican lawyer David Weaver said. "Everyone's waiting to see what happens next."
-- Jo Becker
Ruling on Ohio Voter Challenges Is Upheld (washingtonpost.com) ¶ 14:50
