Case: Hunter v. Hamilton County Board of Elections
1:16-cv-00962 | U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio
Filed Date: Sept. 27, 2016
Closed Date: Jan. 19, 2017
Clearinghouse coding complete
Case Summary
This case is about a citizen who was convicted of a felony but was not incarcerated trying to register to vote for the 2016 Presidential Election.
On September 27, 2016, the plaintiff filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio against the Hamilton County Board of Elections, the Ohio Secretary of State, and the Ohio Attorney General. The plaintiff claimed that she was eligible to register to vote even though she was a convicted felon and the county’s denial of her registration violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The plaintiff argued that the Ohio election law provided for the restoration of the plaintiff’s rights to vote provided that she was not incarcerated for her felony conviction. Represented by attorneys from the Ohio Justice & Policy Center, the plaintiff sought injunctive relief that allowed her to vote in the 2016 Presidential Election and attorney's fees and costs. The case was originally assigned to Judge Susan J. Dlott and later reassigned to Judge Michael R. Barrett.
On September 27, 2016, the plaintiff filed a motion for temporary restraining order and/or preliminary injunction that enjoined the defendants from denying the plaintiff her voter registration and the plaintiff requested that the court expedite its briefing schedule because she needed to be registered to vote in the 2016 Presidential Election by October 9, 2016.
On September 30, 2016, the plaintiff filed a notice of voluntary dismissal of the defendant Ohio Attorney General. On the same day, the defendant Ohio Secretary of State filed a motion to dismiss plaintiff’s complaint based on plaintiff’s failure to state a claim for which any relief can be granted against the defendant.
On October 6, 2016, the court issued an opinion and order that found that temporary injunctive relief was warranted in this case and granted the plaintiff’s motion for temporary restraining order and/or preliminary injunctive relief. The court enjoined the defendant Hamilton County Board of Elections from rejecting the plaintiff’s voter registration.
On January 19, 2017, the court issued an agreed order regarding a stipulated agreement reached by the parties. The court approved the settlement terms, vacated the October 6, 2016 opinion, and dismissed the settled action. The terms of the settlement are unknown to the Clearinghouse at this time.
This case is now closed.
Summary Authors
Leilani Argersinger (4/25/2024)
People
For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4610180/parties/hunter-v-hamilton-county-board-of-elections/
Barrett, Michael Ryan (Ohio)
Judge, Shawn Kincade (Ohio)
Landes, Mark David (Ohio)
Conover, Brodi J. (Ohio)
Koppitch, Nicole M. (Ohio)
Documents in the Clearinghouse
Docket
See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4610180/hunter-v-hamilton-county-board-of-elections/
Last updated Aug. 30, 2026, 4:49 a.m.
Docket for: Hunter v. Hamilton County Board of Elections
Case Details
State / Territory:
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA) project
Key Dates
Filing Date: Sept. 27, 2016
Closing Date: Jan. 19, 2017
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Judge Hunter is a citizen of Ohio and resident of Hamilton County. For her unlawful interest in a public contract, she was previously sentenced to six months in the Hamilton County Justice Center and the United States District Court has stayed her sentence during the consideration of her now-pending habeas corpus petition.
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
County
Hamilton County Board of Elections
Private Entity/Person
John Husted
Mike Dewine
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Constitutional Clause(s):
Other Dockets:
Southern District of Ohio 1:16-cv-00962
Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: Plaintiff OR Mixed
Relief Granted:
Preliminary injunction / Temp. restraining order
Source of Relief:
Form of Settlement:
Court Approved Settlement or Consent Decree
Content of Injunction:
Amount Defendant Pays: 30000.00
Issues
Voting:
Case Summary of Hunter v. Hamilton County Board of Elections, Civil Rights Litig. Clearinghouse, https://clearinghouse.net/case/44964/ (last updated 4/25/2024).