Map of the Month: Early In Person Votes in the 2012 General Election and Percent African American Voting Age Population
Abstract
Map of the Month
This map tells the story of how early in person voting is largely concentrated in the African American neighborhoods of Cuyahoga County. Voting can be done in person on Election Day, by mailed absentee ballot, or in person at the board of elections approximately a month before Election Day. This extention of the period of voting opportunity has been contentious in Ohio, as some interest groups have challenged the state’s Republican-led legislature and Republican Secretary of State in court to extend early voting to 2008 levels. One argument is that African Americans disproportionately use early in person voting opportunities to cast their ballot and limiting the time for such opportunities is discriminatory. The Secretary of State has argued that Ohio has more early voting opportunities than many other states and extending voting days and hours creates an undue hardship on many boards of elections.
