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ODP Statement on Restoration of “Golden Week” in Ohio

May 24, 2016

COLUMBUS — The Ohio Democratic Party (ODP) released the following statement from Chairman David Pepper in response to Judge Michael Watson’s judgment and final order released today restoring “Golden Week” for Ohio voters, in a case brought by the ODP, Cuyahoga County Democratic Party and Montgomery County Democratic Party.

Judge Watson found that eliminating “Golden Week” imposed a disproportionate burden on African-American voters, and the judge’s order states that eliminating “Golden Week” was unconstitutional and a violation of the Voting Rights Act because of the burden it placed on African-American voters.

“Today’s decision is a huge win for Ohio voters, who will now have the original window for early voting restored, along with ability to register to vote and cast their ballot on the same day,” said Pepper. “In 2012, more than 80,000 Ohioans cast a ballot during ‘Golden Week,’ and of those, more than 14,000 were new or updated registrations.

“It’s a shame that once again our legislature, governor, attorney general and secretary of state cannot figure out how to abide by the constitutional rights of their own voters. The judge found no merit in any of their justifications for the burden they placed on African American voters. How many losses in court, and how many wasted tax dollars, are going to convince them to respect Ohioans’ right to vote?”

From the findings of fact:

“EIP [early in-person] voting in homogenous black blocks was 4.316 times higher than homogenous white blocks in 2008… 4.4476 times higher in 2012… usage rates of Golden Week specifically were far higher among African Americans than among whites in both 2008 and 2012… In other words, in 2008, for example, ‘the rate of voting early in person during golden week is three and a half times greater in homogenous black blocks than homogenous white blocks.’”

Click here to read the findings of fact.

Click here to read the judgment order.

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  • Who We Are
    • WHY We Are Democrats!
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      • ODCCA Officers – 2019-2023
        • Message from President Janet Carson
        • ODCCA Executive Committee, Regional Liaisons & Committees
        • County Chairs of the Year – 2020
        • ODCCA Constitution and Bylaws
        • How Ohio’s 88 counties got their names
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      • History: Ohio Democratic Party
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      • Speeches by President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris
    • Senator Sherrod Brown
    • U.S. House of Representatives
      • Congressman Greg Landsman – Ohio’s 1st District
      • Congresswoman Joyce Beatty – Ohio’s 3rd District
      • Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur – Ohio’s 9th District
      • Congresswoman Shontel Brown – Ohio’s 11th District
      • Congresswoman Emilia Sykes – Ohio’s 13th District
    • Justices of the Ohio Supreme Court
      • Ohio Supreme Court Justice Michael P. Donnelly
      • Ohio Supreme Court Justice Melody J. Stewart
      • Ohio Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Brunner
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    • Former President Barack Obama
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      • LEAD Ohio & Main Street Initiative Trainings Announced: Run for Office 2023
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    • Ohio Supreme Court – Justices – 2024
      • Judge Lisa Forbes
      • Justice Melody J. Stewart
      • Justice Michael P. Donnelly
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    • YES! The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety
    • YES! An Act to Control and Regulate Adult Use Cannabis
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Paid for and authorized by the Ohio Democratic County Chairs Association, Amy F. Grubbe/Treasurer, 2810 Hull Road #6, Huron 44839.

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