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COLUMBUS, Ohio— An Ohio judge has granted a request to let 17-year-olds vote in the swing state’s presidential primary.

Ohio allows 17-year-olds who will be 18 before the fall election to vote in Tuesday’s primary, with some limits. For instance, they can’t vote on ballot issues, but can decide on congressional, legislative and mayoral contenders.

Whether the teens can vote in the presidential primary race had been under dispute.

The state’s Republican elections chief had said Ohio rules don’t permit it. He says the 17-year-olds can only nominate candidates, and not “elect” delegates to a presidential nominating convention.

Nine teen voters had sued over Secretary of State Jon Husted’s interpretation.

On Friday, a Franklin County judge granted the teens’ request to block Husted’s instructions that forbid the 17-year-olds from voting in the presidential primary.

Husted released the following statement:

“I believe that Ohio law is clear and that my office has properly administered the law, just as previous Democrat and Republican Secretaries of State over the last two decades have done. “However, upon learning that the 10th District Court of Appeals does not plan to hear an appeal on the lower court’s decision until the day before the election, even if we were to prevail, there is no effective way to responsibly make the changes necessary to implement an orderly election. “Our elections system needs more stability and less chaos. This last minute legislating from the bench on election law has to stop. “As a result, we will not proceed with an appeal on this decision and I will direct all county boards of elections later this evening to comply with the court order.”

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