A federal judge allows early voting in Ohio

A federal judge ordered Ohio to open its polling places three days before the November 6 election. Ohio Republicans have been doing their best to limit voting in Ohio with voter ID laws and restrictions on early voting. 

Friday's decision restored early voting the weekend and Monday before the election. In 2008, more than 93,000 Ohio voters cast ballots during this time. It is being called a win for Obama's campaign. 

Last week, a three-judge court restored the weekend early voting in parts of Florida that are subject to the Voting Rights Act. Another judge in Florida voided part of a state law that would have prevented groups from registering new voters. A Texas law was struck down by a federal judge as well including a strict photo ID requirement and election districts that undercut the voting power of Latinos and blacks. 

Voting-rights advocates are pretty pleased as they should be:

"It shows judges take very seriously the right to vote as fundamental in a democracy. And when politicians manipulate the rules for political purposes, their rules are not entitled to the normal deference," said Penda Hair, a veteran civil rights lawyer for the Advancement Project.

Naturally, this time of year election lawyers and civil rights advocates have been warring with one another over the new rules many states have come up with on casting ballots and counting votes. Florida and Ohio have adopted early voting after previous elections resulted in long lines at the polling places. The African American turnout the weekend before the election contributed to the narrow victories Obama had in both states in 2008. 

Conservative legislatures reduced early voting in Ohio. Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted, a former Republican leader in the state House, claimed the early voting on weekdays is the only "uniform, fair" rule for all 88 counties. Later he said military voters and their families could cast ballots on the weekend. 

The Obama campaign sued claiming all voters should have equal rights to vote early and in person on the three days before the election day...weird, that sounds fair. 

U.S. District Judge Peter Economus agreed Friday. "Restoring in-person early voting to all Ohio voters through the Monday before election day returns to voters the same opportunity to vote as previously conferred under Ohio law," he said. Military families will benefit as well because they will be certain the polls in their area will be open, he said.

Naturally, Ohio is going to appeal the ruling:

Ohio Atty. Gen. Mike DeWine said he would appeal to the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals, based in Cincinnati. If his appeal is turned down, he could ask the Supreme Court to intervene.

Earlier this week, a different federal judge blocked an election rule in Ohio that caused 14,000 ballots to be thrown out in 2008. Ohio claimed that votes cast in the wrong precincts had to be discarded, even if the voter went to the correct polling place and was then sent to the wrong spot. The judge noted a single polling place can serve several precincts.

Both of these judges were appointees of President Clinton. The judge in Texas was appointed by President G.W. Bush. 

This comes after a pretty big loss in Pennsylvania when a state judge upheld the state's photo ID law. Pennsylvania's Supreme Court is considering an appeal. 

ALEC Renews Commitment to Hate Workers, but Drops Everything Else

I thought the boys over at Train of Thought were going to do this, but they haven't so let's do this.

As my friend, or someone who barely knows me, well ok, anyone who met me on the street would know I am opposed to ALEC...and if you were ever going to speak to me, you better know what ALEC is. But for first time players: what ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) is according to their website:

"The American Legislative Exchange Council works to advance the fundamental principles of free-market enterprise, limited government, and federalism at the state level through a nonpartisan public-private partnership of America's state legislators, members of the private sector and the general public."

Well first, I don't think you can trust anyone who doesn't use the Oxford comma. Additionally, the term federalism, I'm guessing they are embracing post-Civil War federalism, "the federal government is too big (runs sobbing from the room)."

Need more information? These are the people who brought to the anti-labor legislation that reads almost exactly the same from Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, and several others. They also brought you voter registration/ID laws and "kill at will." No end to the fun with these guys. But that is all about to change. Below is a press release from this week explaining how ALEC will be dropping all other "causes" and focusing on labor.
                                                                                                                                                                               

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kaitlyn Buss
Phone: 202-742-8526
Email: kbuss@alec.org 

ALEC Sharpens Focus on Jobs, Free Markets and Growth — Announces the End of the Task Force that Dealt with Non-Economic Issues

(Washington, D.C.) April 17, 2012—David Frizzell, Indiana State Representative and 2012 National Chairman of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), issued the following statement today on behalf of ALEC’s Legislative Board of Directors:

“Today we are redoubling our efforts on the economic front, a priority that has been the hallmark of our organization for decades. Fostering the exchange of pro-growth, solutions-oriented ideas is precisely why ALEC exists.

“To that end, our legislative board last week unanimously agreed to further our work on policies that will help spur innovation and competitiveness across the country.

“We are refocusing our commitment to free-market, limited government and pro-growth principles, and have made changes internally to reflect this renewed focus.

“We are eliminating the ALEC Public Safety and Elections task force that dealt with non-economic issues, and reinvesting these resources in the task forces that focus on the economy. The remaining budgetary and economic issues will be reassigned.

“While we recognize there are other critical, non-economic issues that are vitally important to millions of Americans, we believe we must concentrate on initiatives that spur competitiveness and innovation and put more Americans back to work.

“Our free-market, limited government, pro-growth policies are the reason ALEC enjoys the support of legislators on both sides of the aisle and in all 50 states. ALEC members are interested in solutions that put the American economy back on track. This is our mission, and it is what distinguishes us.”

###

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is the nation’s largest nonpartisan individual membership association of state legislators, with over 2,000 state legislators across the nation and more than 100 alumni members in Congress. ALEC’s mission is to promote free markets, limited government, and federalism throughout the states.

                                                                                                                                                                                      

Well hell, son. Part of me did the hell fuckin' yes. Then I took a moment to realize some of the damage has already been done, and they are suiting up for an all out assault on labor.

What damage? Voter reg/ID laws are being voted on in several states (yes Virginia, including Ohio). These laws target the poor, women, trans people, people of color, you know my homies. And we've all witnessed "kill at will" in Florida with the Martin murder.

I can't speculate what is going to come out of this of course, because A) I can't even pretend to be evil enough to anticipate the anti-work legislation they will come up with and B) there is no promise that some of their previous legislation will die. We know Walker and Kasich chatted daily over their anti-worker bills, so there is no reason to believe once this garbage is out in the world that it will ever stop. I imagine awful people will continue sharing awful legislation.