Supreme Court rejects Ohio Democrats appeal in voter intimidation case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday denied an emergency request by the Ohio Democratic Party to reinstate a lower court’s order that sought to bar Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his supporters from intimidating voters at the polls.

The ruling marks another victory for Republicans, who have fought off a series of lawsuits in at least seven states that were brought by Democrats in the homestretch of the presidential race.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote separately from the order that she voted to deny the request because Ohio law already forbids voter intimidation.

Democrats filed the lawsuit in Ohio, alleging that the Trump campaign has sought to encourage supporters monitor polling places on Election Day and to act in ways that might intimidate voters.

A federal judge sided Friday with Democrats and issued a temporary restraining order that prohibited both presidential campaigns from a variety of activities around polling places, including photographing prospective voters and their vehicles or interrogating or harassing voters inside polling places.

But in an order issued Sunday, a three-judge panel from the Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stayed the lower court ruling, concluding that the Ohio Democratic Party “did not demonstrate before the district court a likelihood of success on the merits, and that all of the requisite factors weigh in favor of granting the stay.”

Democrats have filed similar lawsuits in Arizona, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Michigan.

Federal courts have already rejected claims filed in Arizona, Nevada and New Jersey.

Following a Monday hearing in the North Carolina lawsuit, the Associated Press reported that U.S. District Judge Catherine Eagles did not find evidence that Republicans and presidential candidate Donald Trump wanted supporters to intimidate North Carolina minority voters. However, the federal judge said she will keep an eye on what happens Tuesday and could consider sanctions there appears to be evidence of a coordinated effort to turn away voters in minority neighborhoods.

Cases brought in Pennsylvania and Michigan are still pending.