Uncertainty of state voter laws could affect turnout in key districts

As Vice President Joe Biden and challenger Paul Ryan face off in their vice presidential debate this evening, many pundits are focusing on the topics they’ll likely address: the economy, health care, taxes. But with the election just weeks away, groups in several key states continue to wage legal battles over voting rights. A federal court ruled Wednesday that South Carolina can implement its proposed voter ID law, but not until 2013. After a similar ruling for Pennsylvania, several counties there are still telling voters they must show an ID at the polls. And Republican officials in Ohio asked the US Supreme Court to allow the state to block early voting. Voting rights advocates across the country say this ongoing uncertainty about who can vote and when could suppress turnout among vulnerable populations. FSRN’s Alice Ollstein has more.