The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed political parties to send challengers to voting precincts to question the qualifications of voters before they cast ballots in Tuesday's election.
Early Tuesday, Justice John Paul Stevens refused to refer a challenge to an Ohio state law that allows the procedure to the full Supreme Court. Reuters News Agency quoted Justice Stevens as saying there is too little time to review legal arguments before polls open.
Republican Party officials want to make use of the law in an effort, they say, to stop voting fraud. Democratic Party operatives say the Republicans want to intimidate voters in heavily Democratic areas.
The state law allows party operatives to challenge voters' citizenship, identity, age or residency.
Justice Stevens' decision confirmed a ruling hours earlier by a U.S. appeals court, that reversed a ruling by two federal judges and let the Ohio state law stand.
Some of the information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.
