Early voting hours subject to change

DAYTON (WDTN) - The November election is fast approaching, but there could still be changes to the early voting schedule for Ohio's 88 counties.

As it stands now, it is up to individual counties to set what days and times voters can cast their ballot during early elections. Some think election boards are creating an unlevel playing field.

"I don't think it's too crude to say they are stacking the deck," said Richard Saphire, a UD Law Professor and Ohio ACLU board member. "They're trying to make it as difficult as possible for likely democrat voters to register and vote, and conversely, they're trying to make it as easy as possible for republican voters to register and vote".

On Monday, the American Civil Liberties Union asked Secretary of State Jon Husted to set uniform hours across the state.

Saphire said Husted has a history of voting against extending hours. Just last month, Husted, a Republican, broke the tie on the bi-partisan election board in Cuyohoga County that resulted in the elimination of early voting there on the last to weekends of October. Cuyohoga leans heavily democratic.

Secretary of State Husted told 2 NEWS he is not against opposed to standardizing early voting.

"I have been a big advocate for uniformity, making sure that we have the same rules in all 88 counties," said Husted. "I am more than happy to do that if that's what the critics of the system would like to have".

Husted said he is waiting for a response from the Attorney General to make sure he has the authority to set uniform hours.

Regardless of the schedule, Husted is reminding everyone that this year, for the first time ever, every voter will receive an absentee ballot sent to their home.