Washington, DC – Today, the United States Supreme Court agreed with Ohio Republicans’ move to delay the start of early voting in Ohio, which was set to begin Tuesday. In response, DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz released the following statement:

“Less than sixteen hours before polling stations were scheduled to open in Ohio, early voting in the state has been blocked by the Supreme Court at the request of Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted and Republican Attorney General Mike DeWine.

“This week was supposed to be the “Golden Week” during which voters could both register to vote and vote on the same day. In 2012, 59,000 Ohioans cast their ballots during this period. However, this late change is likely to confuse voters, the media, and even election administrators and has happened because Republicans like John Kasich, Jon Husted and Mike DeWine have fought against Golden Week every step of the way.

“This fight is an example of the GOP’s hypocrisy on voting rights, made even worse by the fact that the decision came down as Ohio Governor John Kasich held a rally claiming to encourage his supporters to vote early – alongside Chris Christie, who vetoed early vote legislation in New Jersey.

“Despite Republican opposition, Democrats will continue to work to make voting easier and more convenient for all Americans, protecting and promoting the vote through the DNC’s Voter Expansion Project. We will continue to fight for more opportunities for people to exercise their right to vote while Republicans continue to stand in their way.”