An Ohio voter registration case could soon be heard by the Supreme Court and have an effect on a case of the same nature filed by Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen last month.
The United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals decided Wednesday the Ohio Republican Party is allowed to carry on a lawsuit against Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.
The Ohio Republican Party filed the case, claiming counties should be provided with lists of voters whose registrations did not pass registration checks.
Similarly, Van Hollen filed a suit against the Government Accountability Board last month for its failure to adhere to the Help America Vote Act, which requires clerks to check voter registrations with other databases.
Van Hollen said in a statement the court's decision in the Ohio case reinforces the arguments in his own case against the GAB.
As the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals made clear in yesterday's decision, the purpose of the Help America Vote Act is to help Americans cast votes and ensure those votes count and are not diluted,"" Van Hollen said. ""That purpose can only have effect if the law is carried out.""
The GAB contends that objections like these can only be made by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Lester Pines, the attorney representing the GAB, said the decision of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals is ""interesting,"" but will not necessarily affect the case against the GAB.
Pines said Dane County Circuit Court Judge Maryann Sumi, who is presiding over the case, could take the Ohio opinions into account, but said it ""has no binding effect on any judge in the state of Wisconsin.""
Sumi will hear the motions from GAB to dismiss the case on the morning of Oct. 23, just two weeks before Election Day.
