[JURIST] A federal judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit that accuses Ohio election officials of violating constitutional rights to equal protection and due process. The League of Women Voters [advocacy website] sued [PDF complaint; fact sheet] state election officials, claiming that the current system deprives citizens of voting rights, citing examples from the 2004 election [JURIST news archive]. LWV insists that Ohio's system has harmed voters for 30 years [press release] by failing to issue absentee ballots, discounting legitimate ballots, and not accommodating disabled voters. It believes that improved training for local elections officials will work to redress these inadequacies. Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell [official website] and Governor Bob Taft [official website] have vowed to fight the allegations. The lawsuit does not challenge the results from the Ohio presidential election even though a handful of challenges to recount procedures and other issues remain. AP has more.