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Ohio Voting Law Held Unconstitutional

By TChris, Section Elections
Posted on Wed Oct 04, 2006 at 02:39:09 PM EST
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by TChris

A citizen, whether naturalized or born in the USA, is a citizen. Ohio nonetheless tried to impose a requirement that naturalized citizens provide proof of citizenship before casting a ballot, if challenged by a poll worker. How a poll worker was to distinguish between a citizen by birth and a naturalized citizen is a mystery, but no matter. Judge Christopher Boyko struck down the law, holding: "There can be no second-class American as far as any court is concerned." Exactly. (More on the ridiculous law here.)

Here's the shocker. The rule was so obviously unconstitutional that, when it was challenged in court, Ohio's notorious Secretary of State (and now gubernatorial candidate) Ken Blackwell didn't even try to defend it. So why didn't you refuse to enforce it from the beginning, Mr. Blackwell?

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    Ohio Voting Law Held Unconstitutional | 5 comments (5 topical)
    Re: Ohio Voting Law Held Unconstitutional (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Oct 04, 2006 at 06:57:54 PM EST
    And yet we naturalized citizens are indeed second class, made that way by the Constitution itself, which forbids us from being President or Vice President. It's a nasty provision that should have been amended away long ago. Of course I have a blog

    Re: Ohio Voting Law Held Unconstitutional (none / 0) (#1)
    by nolo on Wed Oct 04, 2006 at 07:14:47 PM EST
    Yay Judge Boyko!!

    Re: Ohio Voting Law Held Unconstitutional (none / 0) (#4)
    by Lora on Wed Oct 04, 2006 at 08:45:31 PM EST
    So why didn't you refuse to enforce it from the beginning, Mr. Blackwell?
    Ken Blackwell and his ilk will try to get away with literally anything when it comes to manipulating the election. He was easily caught on this one. It's the stuff less easy to catch that should make us all very afraid.

    Re: Ohio Voting Law Held Unconstitutional (none / 0) (#5)
    by Che's Lounge on Wed Oct 04, 2006 at 10:28:34 PM EST
    In Brazil you have to prove why you didn't vote.

    Re: Ohio Voting Law Held Unconstitutional (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Thu Oct 05, 2006 at 08:42:31 PM EST
    A national ID card could easily state citizenship status, green card status, etc, and would also help employers. Too bad the open borders crowd opposes one.

    Ohio Voting Law Held Unconstitutional | 5 comments (5 topical)