Seventeen-year-olds Granted Eligibility for Ohio's Primary Election, following Judge's Decision in Support of Sanders
Ohio Secretary of State Intends to Appeal Ruling on 18-Year-Old Voters in Primary Election
Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted has announced his intention to appeal a recent ruling by Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Richard Frye, which found that Husted abused his discretion in interpreting state law regarding the voting rights of 18-year-olds in the primary election.
The ruling, issued this week, states that teenagers celebrating their 18th birthday before the state primary election are entitled to have their votes for presidential nominees counted. Nine teenagers from across the state claimed in their lawsuit that Husted's interpretation of state law was incorrect and contradicts a previous ruling by the Ohio Supreme Court.
The lawsuit argues that Husted's interpretation of state law, as stated in the modified state election manual in December, which allows 17-year-olds only to nominate candidates but prohibits them from voting for presidential delegates, contradicts the state Supreme Court's ruling that allows 17-year-olds who will be 18 by the election to vote in primaries.
The ruling affects potentially thousands of 17-year-old voters who are still eager to participate in next week's primary election. Alexis Brossart, a 17-year-old student at Milford High School outside Cincinnati, received a letter stating she cannot vote for a presidential nominee. Rachel Bloomekatz, the attorney for the nine teenagers, stated that the teens were galvanized when they learned their votes would not count.
Husted has stated that the court's last-minute legislating on election law needs to stop and that the decision could give one county court the power to change 30 years of election law for the entire state of Ohio. He also mentioned that the ruling could potentially give one county court the power to change 30 years of election law for the entire state of Ohio.
However, no clear evidence from the provided search results confirms if Husted has already appealed the ruling or details the previous Ohio Supreme Court ruling on 17-year-olds voting in primaries. Further specialized legal sources or Ohio state election news would be needed for specific details.
In the Ohio primary, 159 delegates are at stake for the Democrats and 66 for the Republicans. The election is scheduled to take place next week.
- The Ohio Secretary of State's intention to appeal a ruling could lead to changes in the state's policy-and-legislation concerning 18-year-old voters, impacting the ongoing politics of elections.
- The Ohio primary, filled with significant political stakes, is affected by the ongoing dispute over the voting rights of 17-year-olds, requiring a reevaluation of general-news reporting on this contentious issue.
