Moritz reports: “This evening, federal district court judge Algenon Marbley has granted Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner’s motion to consolidate the case of Ohio Republican Party v. Brunner (ORP), filed last month and amended this morning, with the case of Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless v. Blackwell (NEOCH), filed two years ago. In an oral ruling from the bench, Judge Marbley noted that the as yet unresolved claims in each case seek uniformity in the processes for counting ballots, and that the two cases share common claims of vote dilution and violations of the equal protection clause. A written opinion is expected to follow.”