Voting Rights Update

Ohio's Secretary of State, Republican Jon Husted, released the state's early voting schedule for the 2014 elections this week. Big surprise, it makes early voting as tough as possible for working people and eliminates Sunday voting in advance of Election Day when many African-American churches organize "Souls to the Polls" events, in which worshippers go as a group to vote after religious services.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported: "During the four weeks leading up to Election Day, voters will be able to cast absentee ballots in person at voting locations that will be open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on weekdays. The polling locations will also be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the last two Saturdays before the election."

In 2012, a federal judge ordered Husted to allow early voting for the entire three-day period before the general election. The Republican controlled legislature had voted to cut off early voting in the 2012 elections, but those efforts were overruled by the courts. Husted appealed to the Supreme Court which refused to hear the case and polling places throughout the state remained open for the entire three-day period.

Many voting rights activists and elected officials, including Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown have called Husted's schedule for 2014 "unacceptable" and are looking to challenge it.

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The Moral Monday Movement, which recently saw more than 80,000 activists rally at the state capitol in Raleigh, N.C., for voting rights, is expanding to other states.

Look for events next in Florida.