Democrats Dennis Lieberman and Thomas Ritchie Sr. were temporarily reinstated to the Montgomery County Board of Elections on Thursday morning by Republican Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted.

The Board of Elections is prepared to certify the official results of the Aug. 7 special election - which featured several school levies - but Lieberman and Ritchie have been suspended since last Friday, and therefore couldn’t vote on the matter.

Husted sent the pair a letter Thursday, saying he was “reinstating you from suspension while I await the report from the hearing officer on whether to remove you from your positions … . This action is necessary so that the board can meet impending statutory deadlines.”

The Montgomery County Board of Elections has scheduled a meeting for 2 p.m. Friday, in part to certify the election results. That means unless a decision on Lieberman and Ritchie’s future comes late Friday, the issue may continue into next week.

Husted suspended the pair last Friday after they refused to withdraw their push for weekend voting hours in Montgomery County. Husted had issued a directive days earlier, setting specific weekday hours for in-person absentee voting. Husted pointed to Ohio law requiring Board of Elections members to enforce directives from the Secretary of State.

Lieberman and Ritchie testified at a hearing Monday and are awaiting a ruling from Husted, based on a report from the hearing officer.

Husted’s letter to the pair Thursday said they should resume their duties, “consistent with Ohio Revised Code 3501.11 and your oath of office.”