Husted issues statement on Franklin County Court of Common Pleas ruling

Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted released the following statement regarding Friday’s ruling in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas to overrule state law and reverse decades of election law precedent by allowing 17-year-olds to cast ballots in Ohio’s 2016 Presidential Primary Election:
 
“I believe that Ohio law is clear and that my office has properly administered the law, just as previous Democrat and Republican Secretaries of State over the last two decades have done.
 

[[In-content Ad]]“However, upon learning that the 10th District Court of Appeals does not plan to hear an appeal on the lower court’s decision until the day before the election, even if we were to prevail, there is no effective way to responsibly make the changes necessary to implement an orderly election.
 
“Our elections system needs more stability and less chaos. This last-minute legislating from the bench on election law has to stop.
 
“As a result, we will not proceed with an appeal on this decision, and I will direct all county boards of elections to comply with the court order.”