Federal Court Rules Ohio Violates Prisoners’ Right to Vote

U.S. District Court Judge Michael Watson ruled yesterday in the case Mays et. al v. LaRose that Ohio is violating the rights of pre-trial detainees to vote. For the full opinion, scroll down to the bottom of the article in the link above.

The decision deals with the Ohio law that grants voters confined in hospitals by unforeseen medical emergencies until 3 p.m. on Election Day to submit an absentee ballot application while those held in jails face a noon deadline on the Saturday before an election.  The court ruled this violated prisoners’ rights under Equal Protection.  The court stated that “until state lawmakers equalize the deadlines for delivering ballot applications to hospital patients and prisoners, (Secretary of State) LaRose must direct county board of elections officials to accept applications from prisoners (largely in county jails) until 3 p.m. on Election Day.”