I agree - there should be a fair and equitable system; all counties throughout the state should have the same voting guidelines.
But, why do we have early voting when there is one election day? If you want to vote early, do it absentee.

Hi Rose,
I have been seeing various demented comments from the conservatives on this issue. Before they rain in. Here are my observations. Voting is a right not a privilege. Even more, voting is a sacred right. I believe everyone who likes living or would like to live in a democracy believes voting is one of the first laws passed. If every citizen can’t vote then you don’t have a democracy.

If you agree with the above then government should do everything in its power to register and get those registered voters to the polls. The liberals have always done that. The conservatives have not. If a rule puts more barriers, no matter how innocuous, to voting then those law makers are anti-democracy. Conservatives can’t run on their agenda and win so they need to do evil. They are un-American. And that makes them the enemy of the people.

I suggest you take out your checkbook, and write a check to cover the expenses of the extra hours cost the counties that are more cash strapped than others, WAIT I have a better idea !!!! why dont we turn voting back to the responsibility of the voter to make it to the voting booth on time .... not when it convenient for them ....there is no excuse why someone cannot get to their voting booth in the 12 hours the polls are open to vote ......
I had to work is not an excuse in ohio
http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/3599.06

I would agree with you, Tom, if Sunday was voting day. That way, most people would be able to make it to the polls in time and lines would be reasonable. As it currently stands, after working 8 - 10 hrs/day, many people struggle to get to the polls. I recall the long lines in 2008 where people stood for hours & hours in the rain because there weren't enough voting booths in urban precincts. Although, in my suburban precinct, we were able to just walk in and there was no wait. Clearly, there is a bias in the allocation of voting booths. If you live in urban areas it's harder to vote, if you live in comfortable suburban areas, it's a cake-walk. Of course, it take understanding to see the problems certain segments of our population face when trying to vote. Clearly, there is pattern of discrimination in closing early voting in urban areas. The voter ID laws that have swept the country are nothing more than a ploy to steal the presidency. http://www.brennancenter.org/content/section/category/voter_id/
I also don't get the hostility towards making it more convenient for all people to vote. It seems mean spirited to me.
Also, I saw a representative of the Cuy Cty BOE speak and there is money set aside for early voting.

How about, its not a political scheme. Election day has always been the same - leave it alone. If you have a problem getting there, vote absentee. As tom m. said, save the taxpayer money .

hey rose, get in your car and pick everyone up so they can vote. Use your time, your gas your resources. I work a job with odd hours and often unexpected overtime. I believe people can use their bus passes, 250 free monthly minutes to call for a ride to get to a polling place. Im sure people can also take 5 minutes from hanging on a street corner or sittin watching the maury povich show to go vote. I'm surprised Obama hasn't instituted internet voting yet...At least not until they can figure out how to get everyone free computers with 250 free internet minutes.

I have been a BOE judge (poll worker) for many years - - in urban and suburban locations, and assure all that each type location has adequate voting booths, machines and staff to accommodate every election-day voter. Yes, the BOE has funds available for early voting - - for the five weeks of Monday-Friday early voting, which begins Oct. 2 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the first three weeks; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the final two weeks) - - not for weekend (or extended evening) periods. This schedule has now been standardized for all 88 Ohio counties. Also, every registered voter in Ohio will be mailed an absentee ballot application, the first time ever that this has been done. All of this makes voting both easy and convenient. Finally, even though we poll workers enjoy seeing a strong turnout on election day, the more eligible voters who take advantage of absentee voting, the smoother that the voting process runs on election day (and the less likely that voters will have to wait long to cast their ballots). Voting truly is a right, not a privilege (which, by definition, means restricted to certain individuals), and I believe that a reasonable person will agree that the current process goes well beyond what is required to ensure ample opportunity for that right to be exercised.

I have also been a poll worker. With all due respect, aside from being in the room I'm not sure that gives anyone expertise enough to declare that everything is just find in our state with regard to voting. In 2000 & 2004 voting was a mess in Ohio and Fla. In 2004 urban areas in Ohio didn't have enough properly functioning voting machines to accommodate the number of people who wanted to vote. You may remember that it was pouring rain in Cuyahoga Cty and people stood in lines for 8 + hrs to vote. Many gave up. They didn't have the time to stand around. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/26/opinion/26tue4.html Also, in Fla, lines stretched around the corner and took hours for people to vote. Look it up. Why close the polls the weekend before the election? What is the rationale? I might point out that the expansion in absentee voting hours happened as a result of the prior 2 elections being chaotic. To their credit, It was the republicans who instituted the changes. What happened when voting was expanded? President Obama won. Ohio is a purple state. What you see now is early voting being restricted, a redistricting plan that has been called out as highly partisan. Voter ID requirements that will suppress minority, elderly, latino & young voters have been instituted in swing states. http://www.brennancenter.org/content/section/category/voter_id/

I'm just sayin....there is no reason to clamp down on early voting hours, ask people for Voter ID & purge voter rolls. These are all obvious attempts to restrict the vote. Shouldn't we all be concerned? What happens when huge corporations & billionaires have bought our government as a result of picking who wins? That's what's happening now folks. We all suffer when our voice is silenced for good. Our vote will not be worth the paper it's printed on. The way to fix this problem is to push our congress to have a 28th amendment which will say: "Corporations are not people" and "money is not speech". The bottom line here is that our elections, this cycle, are being rigged. movetoamend.org

What is so hard about the process - simple form to register and show ID to prove you are the person voting. Election Day had always been ONE day. Get there, vote. If you can't or don't want to, absentee.
Why spend extra monies for workers to be at other polling times and why a mass mailing to people of absentee ballots if not requested? More waste of monies. It is a very simple process. Just follow it and quit trying to make it a political issue.

http://www.brennancenter.org/content/section/category/voter_id/

I won't be satisfied until every adult citizen is implemented with a microchip in their brain that allows for instantaneous and easy voting. The vote would be recorded digitally and sent via a cloud network. Blink once for the incumbent, blink twice for the challenger. Bam, problem solved!

The issue is about consistency from election to election and from county to county. Obviously the law is written in such a way that the times can be changed at the whim of those in charge. That just opens things up to abuse from whoever happens to be able to make the decisions.

Early, absentee, 12 hours, 24 hours...it doesn't matter! Make it the same everywhere and then no one can complain. It's not that hard.....

Voting has never been easier. Absentee ballot applications will be sent to all registered voters in Ohio. Anyone can watch their simple minded t.v. shows and not leave their chair and still vote. As to the three day window before the election.. let the BOE's get ready for Tues. If you cannot or are too stupid to use the above method then you still have 35 days to vote at the BOE!! You leftists would have your dogs vote if you could and may have!

Hey rose you mention billionaires and corporations have bought the election. What about this current administration buying votes with all the free stuff they give out. Again I mention the phones with 250 free minutes a month citing the need to have a phone for emergencies. Yet all the phones have texting and other perks. When all you need is an inactive phone which allows you to dial 911. Its gotten to the point where you make moreoney staying on unemployment for 99 weeks. Also last time I checked you needed an id to get your welfare benefits.

And check your cell phone bill. the universal connect fee is our paying for the free phones. And it is allowing people to get 20-30 cell phones which are then being given to drug dealers. So basically Obama is supporting drug dealers as is every person paying their cell phone.

Thanks Rose for this post. Because of people like you Husted finally did the right thing and Democracy wins the day.

Can someone please tell me why Oiho (Obama's new spelling of our state) citizens continue to support and vote for Sen. Sherrod Brown-nose and Barack Obama. They have the same ideology and are driving Ohio business's to Indiana and other states. Evidently these citizens place the Democratic Party before there families and jobs! Sad..............and true!

http://weaselzippers.us/2012/08/26/ohio-columbus-dispatch-poll-dead-even-for-president-and-senate/

Dear Tater, or is it Mr. Salad? Anyway, congratulations! Whenever I hear or read lies about Sen Brown I am in the habit of contributing $25 to his campaign. In your case, 'brown-nose' plus 'driving businesses to Indiana', garnered $50 for the Senator.

Here are three ways to take action to restore weekend voting to better allow everyone's voice to count:
1. CONTACT THE SECRETARY OF STATE: Urge the Secretary of State to change his directive and allow weekend voting. For the first time since early voting was permitted in Ohio, the Secretary of State has outlawed early voting on weekends. Let the Secretary know that voting should be easy and convenient for all. Call the Secretary of State today - (614) 466-2655
2. CONTACT YOUR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS: Urge your County Commissioners to pass a resolution in support of weekend voting. Ask them to follow the lead of Commissioners in Mahoning County and pass a resolution allowing the county building that houses the board of elections to be open on weekends. Call your County Commissioners today. Don’t know your Commissioners’ number? Look up your County Commissioners’ names and their contact information here - http://bit.ly/TWRDkH
3. CONTACT YOUR BOARD OF ELECTIONS: Urge your Board of Elections to pass a resolution in support of weekend voting and call on the Ohio Secretary of State to change voting hours to include weekend hours. Call or email your Board of Elections today. Don’t know the Board of Elections’ number or email? Look up your Board of Elections here - http://bit.ly/Oyp2A7