By Jim Siegel
Enquirer Columbus Bureau

COLUMBUS - Defying the Ohio Republican Party, Secretary of State Ken Blackwell today said he is recommending to federal courts in Hamilton and Summit counties that all challengers be excluded from Ohio polling sites.

State Republicans have argued that challengers are necessary to ensure that the thousands of newly registered voters are legitimate. Party officials have said they targeted precincts where the highest concentration of new voters is located.

But with the election just days away, the issue of placing party operatives inside polling sites to potentially challenge voters' eligibility is tied up in court.

Democrats fear potential confrontations with challengers at the polling sites, or unnecessary delays as challenged voters are forced to answer a series of questions before casting a ballot.

Civil-rights activists Marian and Donald Spencer of Avondale alleged in a federal lawsuit that the 51-year-old law disenfranchises black voters. Democrats argued Republicans were targeting predominantly black precincts with their decisions on where to place poll challengers.

In Summit County, Democrats argued the law is unconstitutional because it does not give a disqualified voter a chance to appeal in time to cast a ballot.

Blackwell, a Republican, said while he does not believe there the law intends any discrimination, he also believes there is not enough time to settle the matter.

"Following the election, I will institute litigation bringing together all parties to resolve the statutory and constitutional issues so they may be fully litigated and determined once and for all," Blackwell said.

Blackwell's announcement came a few hours after a federal appeals court upheld a court order barring Ohio's Republican Party from challenging the validity of 23,000 new voter registrations.

In Hamilton County, Republicans named challengers to 629 county precincts and Democrats to 557 precincts.

Republicans also submitted a list of 251 other precincts where they may put challengers. Of those, county Democratic Party Chairman Tim Burke said 250 are majority-black precincts.