Judge rejects claim alleging illegal purge of election rolls

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Judge rejects claim alleging illegal purge of election rolls

Updated 5:24 pm, Wednesday, June 29, 2016

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A judge has rejected a lawsuit brought by voting rights groups that alleged Ohio's process for purging election rolls is illegally removing eligible voters.

The lawsuit was filed in April in federal court in Columbus and contended the state's system removes registered voters based on their failure to vote. It specifically alleged the illegal cancellation of registered voters who are homeless.

Judge George Smith said Wednesday that Ohio's procedures for maintaining voter registration rolls ensure the integrity of the election process.

Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted (HYOO'-sted) says the state manages voter rolls according to state and federal law. He says the ruling allows the state to put "another wasteful lawsuit" behind it and focus on the important work of running elections.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Judge-rejects-claim-alleging-illegal-purge-of-8332833.php

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(Short article, no more at link.)

[floriduck]

1. Wasn't it Husted that said due to their 2012 rules, Romney would win. What a slug!

[99th_Monkey]

2. This is really sad, and does not bode well for the GE.

Giving swing-state Ohio a green light to purge away as many Democratic
voters as they wish. It is no accident Husted is Republican.

I really hope the plaintiff's appeal this asap.

[mpcamb]

3. This seems like it needs an appeal.

Simply put, voting rights matter.
Taking that right away by an arbitrary purge flies in the face of reason and citizen rights.

[99th_Monkey]

4. In Oregon, people have to "opt out" to not be registered

Folks are automatically registered to vote when they are issued a drivers license.

I love my reliably blue state.

[JudyM]

5. Research on organ donors in Europe shows that opt-out countries have far more donors than opt-in

countries, too. Administrative intent is a powerful thing. Do you know if OR has a higher turnout rate? (Turnout meaning mail-in)

[99th_Monkey]

6. Oregon is #6, at 60.13%.

But the automatic registration was just enacted 1-2 years ago.
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/2012/1106/Voter-turnout-the-6-states-that-rank-highest-and-why/Oregon

[JudyM]

7. Thanks, that is an interesting read. Especially Alaska and MN. We ought to have something on

the dem platform addressing this -- like a commitment to remove barriers to voting and of course ensuring security of the voting process. ReThugs claim to clamor for security but it's really about erecting participation barriers.