COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A federal appeals court has temporarily halted an attempt by voter advocates to expand the conditions under which provisional ballots are counted in Ohio.
The 6th U.S. Court of Appeals in Cincinnati on Wednesday put on hold a lower court's ruling that said provisional ballots cast not just in the wrong precinct but in the wrong polling location altogether must still be counted.
The state had opposed the expansion, saying it could create Election Day chaos because of new training requirements for poll workers.
The appeals court decision delays an Oct. 24 ruling by Columbus federal judge Algenon Marbley, who said he based his decision on the rationale that such problems arise because of mistakes by poll workers.
The appeals court questioned whether such ballots should be counted.
