Akron Beacon Journal…
Battleground Ohio
August 16, 2012 

From the start of this election cycle, Jon Husted urged bipartisan county elections boards to reach compromises in setting hours for early voting. If they did not reach an agreement? The secretary of state emphasized that he would set the time to the board’s current office hours. The stance reflected his campaign promise. He wants — for good reason — a more uniform system of voting across the state. He didn’t want his office establishing varying hours in different counties. 

The trouble is, that position gave rise to a mess, or at least disturbing discrepancies. In some Republican-leaning counties, compromise was achieved, and early voting hours were extended. In Summit, Cuyahoga, Lucas and Franklin, heavily Democratic counties, Husted broke ties, and thus the fallout: They would not have extended hours. 

Democrats rightly cried foul. On Wednesday, the secretary erased the difference. He took the correct step of issuing a directive establishing uniform hours for early voting in Ohio — weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the first three weeks, then 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the final two weeks. 

That has not pleased everyone, some counties having to shrink their hours. A strong case still exists for permitting early voting on weekends, especially the weekend before the election, which Republican legislators ended. Recall why early voting took hold the past decade. In 2004, many Ohio voters experienced long lines at the polls. A consensus reasonably formed: Voting shouldn’t be such a burden. It should be encouraged and made easier. In 2008, Ohioans took advantage of early voting, the election proceeding smoothly. 

The Obama campaign has gone to federal court seeking to restore early voting on the three days before the election. The task shouldn’t have to be so hard. Ohio benefited from allowing such early voting. It long ago should have been sustained… 

Read the rest of the article at the Akron Beacon Journal