Columbus, OH – The Buckeye Institute’s Legal Center submitted a brief today to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit defending Ohio’s generous and nation-leading early voting law. The filing supports Secretary of State Jon Husted’s defense of Ohio’s absentee voting period.

“Ohio’s policies make voting far easier than in most other states,” Robert Alt, president and CEO of The Buckeye Institute, said. “And Ohio’s policy regarding pre-registration protects the voting rights for all Ohioans by ensuring electoral integrity.”

On May 24, a federal judge overturned an Ohio General Assembly law, which set the state’s early voting at 29 days. Challengers alleged that federal law requires Ohio to offer even more days of early voting. Secretary Husted noted that Ohio’s 29-day period for casting absentee ballots puts the state in the top 10 nationwide for early voting.

Representing The Buckeye Institute in the case is Michael Carvin, an election and appellate law expert with the global Jones Day law firm.

“Plaintiffs argue that a federal law that has been on the books for 34 years suddenly requires Ohio to extend its already generous early voting and requires Ohio to permit same-day registration. The law does no such things,” Carvin said. “Nor does it invalidate the laws of the 40 states that offer fewer voting days than Ohio.”

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UPDATE: August 23, 2016, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled in favor of Ohio’s law, which set the state’s early voting at 29 days.