US Supreme Court declines to restore early voting in Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to delay a rollback to early voting in swing-state Ohio.

The court on Tuesday denied a request from Democrats to restore a week of early voting while the issue is being appealed.

A lower court decision last month upheld a law eliminating days in which people could both register and cast a ballot at the same time, a period known as the golden week.

The state's attorneys have argued that the reduction helped alleviate administrative burdens for local elections officials. But Democrats claim the change disproportionately burdens black voters and those who lean Democratic.

The high court's action means voters can start casting ballots in the fall election on Oct. 12.