Federal Judge: ‘Golden Week’ for voters stays

Last month a federal judge ruled that Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted’s decision to cut a week from Ohio’s early voting period violated the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, and now the judge is extending the early voting period back to its original length.

Even though Secretary of State Husted appealed the decision, the appeals court judge said they are not likely to succeed.

The week Husted intended to cut was known as “Golden Week” because voters were able to register to vote and cast an absentee ballot during that time.

Judge Michael H. Watson of U.S. District Court in Columbus said the decision to eliminate Golden Week disproportionately affected African American voters, who were five times more likely than white voters to take advantage of it.

Watson’s ruling means that Ohio voters would be able to take advantage of Golden Week in the November general elections.

5/25/16: Federal Judge: Ohioans’ voting rights violated

A federal court ruled Tuesday that the Ohio legislature violated the U.S. constitution and the 1965 Voting Rights Act when it removed a week from the state’s early voting period.

The missing week was known as “Golden Week” because voters were able to register to vote and cast an absentee ballot during that time.

Under the new rules, the voter registration period and the early voting period don’t overlap.

Judge Michael H. Watson of U.S. District Court in Columbus handed down the ruling, which voting rights experts say could end up before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Watson said the decision to eliminate Golden Week disproportionately affected African American voters, who were five times more likely than white voters to take advantage of the old rules.

Critics of the ruling say that Ohio’s current early voting period of 28 days is still one of the most generous in the nation.

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