Judge won't act in Ohio arrestees' voting lawsuit

CINCINNATI - A judge has refused to intervene in a lawsuit over the voting rights of people arrested in Ohio the weekend before Election Day and detained through the election.

Federal judge Susan Dlott said in a ruling Thursday she appreciates the importance of an individual's right to vote but needs more evidence about the people affected by Ohio's laws.

Dlott also said she was concerned about creating Election Day chaos if she ordered new rules for handling arrestees' votes so close to the election.

The Cincinnati-based Ohio Justice and Policy Center said it filed the lawsuit because people arrested after the deadline for requesting absentee ballots have no way to vote.

The center says it plans to provide the evidence the judge is seeking.

"Ohio does not restrict the voting rights of those who are jailed for misdemeanor convictions or who are in jail awaiting trial for a felony or a misdemeanor," said David Singleton, the center's executive director.

"We want to make sure that Ohio respects the voting rights of all of its citizens, even the ones that it’s easy to forget about,” Singleton added.

(WCPO.com contributed to this report.)