Advocates for the homeless and the Ohio Democratic Party are asking the Supreme Court to block election rules that could disqualify thousands of absentee and provisional ballots in the battleground state because of minor mistakes or omissions.
The emergency appeal was filed Wednesday with Justice Elena Kagan less than two weeks before the Nov. 8 election. Kagan oversees such appeals from Ohio and neighboring states.
The high court typically is reluctant to impose last-minute changes on election procedures. But the lawyers filing the appeal say the ballots in question wouldn't be counted until after Election Day in any case, so a court order wouldn't interfere with the election.
