HUGE: Judge Rules Ohio 'Poll Challengers' Unconstitutional

[WilliamPitt]

http://www.truthout.org/docs_04/110204Z.shtml

Judge Bars Challengers From Polling Places
The Associated Press

Monday 01 November 2004

Dlott hands Republicans another legal setback.

A federal judge in Cincinnati early today barred political party challengers at polling places throughout Ohio.

In another legal setback for Republicans, U.S. District Judge Susan Dlott ruled that the presence of challengers inexperienced in the electoral process would impede voting on Tuesday.

She ruled that application of Ohio's statute allowing challengers at polling places is unconstitutional.

Dlott ruled on a lawsuit by a Cincinnati couple, Marian Spencer, a former Cincinnati city council member, and her husband Donald.

The Spencers said Republican plans to deploy challengers to largely black precincts in Hamilton County was meant to intimidate and block black voters.

...more...

[Phillycat]

1. Thank God.

After yesterday's piece on NPR about the organized efforts of Rethugs to supress voting, I was screaming at my radio. This gives me hope.

[mcg]

18. Yahoo News: Judges Bar Party Challengers at Ohio Polls, rate & email

<http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&e=4&u=/ap/20041101/ap_on_el_pr/ohio_voting>

rated it a 5 and emailed it

[mzmolly]

2. Good news!

:toast:

[arewenotdemo]

22. Thank you Judge Susan Dlott!!!!!!

[merbex]

3. Fabulous news

Although I hope everyone in Ohio remembers which party was going to challenge their right to vote

[johnnyrocket]

4. Ohio's not Florida! It has decent common sense people...

who make good judgment calls like this. Florida on the other hand is a corrupt government run by loons.

[Oreo]

5. Damn Activist Judges!

Isn't it nice to see things turning our way for once?

[in_cog_ni_to]

6. Excellent news. I wonder if they will ignore the ruling?

Blackwell was ordered by a judge to provide provisional ballots and he ignored the ruling. Repukes seem to do anything they damn well please. This IS great news though. I only hope they abide by the ruling.

[Philostopher]

9. That's right -- he said he was willing to go to jail ....

and had the unmitigated gall to compare himself to Gandhi and Martin Luther King. I'm thinking MLK would have kicked his ass all over the place for the crap he's been trying to pull.

I'm relieved -- my biggest worry wasn't even Kerry losing, Tuesday. It was having to see that there was violence in inner-city precincts over this poll challenger crap. It would have made me really angry with Ohio even if Kerry won.

We'll see how it pans out, I guess. I wonder if either they don't think Ohio's going to be decisive, or they plan to challenge it in court immediately thereafter. Maybe the GOP's internal polling tells them it won't be close, one way or the other.

Still, it's good news for Ohio, and especially for inner-city voters.

[stevedeshazer]

7. Outstanding!

That's really great news.

Kerry in a landslide!

[Willy Lee]

8. That is excellent news. nt

[rndmprsn]

10. yeehaw...

in my best dukes of hazzard voice.

[WilliamPitt]

11. .

[Fluffdaddy]

12. Great news

[DemocracyInaction]

13. CNN said they will be challenging this all day and into tomorrow

Do you think these people ever give up???

[phish420]

16. It will be for nothing

if it has already been deemed unconstitutional...they can cry CHALLENGE all they want - but people can just ignore their lame assed and go on voting! LOL!!!

[phish420]

14. BEEEEEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! nt

[TeddyKGB]

15. Don't you mean "HUGH"?

:silly:

[Stephanie]

17. The whole PLOT was so blatantly racist and unjust anyway

Who sits around and thinks up this stuff? It's vile.

[librechik]

19. Channel 5 Cincinnatti survey: Go Vote!

follow the truthout link to the original article. 93% say they will absolutely vote!

[NewYorkerfromMass]

20. this is indeed huge

Ohio is ours.

[WilliamPitt]

21. .

[niceypoo]

23. KICK

:kick::kick:

[deadparrot]

24. God, I hope this stays in place.