Money in Politics - Election Administration

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Ohio Secretary of State

U.S. Election Assistance Commission

Since the 2000 Florida fiasco, election administration has emerged as an area in serious need of democratic reform. In 2000, 77 of Ohio’s 88 counties voted on punch cards. Because of the clear problems with punch card voting, Congress passed the Help America Vote Act in 2002 which provided the states with money for computerized voting systems. However, there was no requirement that these systems have appropriate auditing. In 2003, Ohio became the first state to require a voter verified paper audit trail, a paper receipt confirming that the voter’s choices were correctly recorded, in response to criticism from Ohio Citizen Action and groups like the League of Women Voters of Ohio. The Money in Politics Project continues to track election administration and changes in election law and advocate for an open, accountable voting process.

Recent News

Feb 17: Ballot board acts on state Issues 1, 2

COLUMBUS -- "The Ohio Ballot Board voted yesterday to approve official arguments for and against two statewide issues on the May 4 ballot and also gave the green light for a petition drive to begin for a proposed issue in the fall election. Issue 1 on the May ballot would renew Ohio's Third Frontier program, while Issue 2 would change the location of a proposed Columbus casino from the Arena District to the West Side site of the former Delphi Corp. auto-parts plant. The Ohio legislature had voted to put both issues on the ballot and submitted arguments for each issue that the board approved without discussion. They will be published statewide and included in the Ohio Issues Report distributed to libraries, county elections boards and other agencies," Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch.

Feb 9: Additional petition signatures disqualified

COLUMBUS -- "A group hoping to put a referendum on the fall ballot regarding a proposal to add electronic slot machines will need more additional signatures than previously thought. That's because three county boards of elections reported late last week that they disqualified an additional 937 signatures because petition circulators are felons, Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner's office said," Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch.

Feb 8: Checks of voter records coming
Brunner wants notices sent if registration info conflicts with file data

COLUMBUS -- "Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner is completing a plan to address a lingering controversy from the 2008 general election in Ohio that generated national attention, lawsuits and even death threats. Brunner expects to issue a directive soon detailing what county boards of elections must do when the name or other personal information provided by a voter doesn't match state or federal records after an automatic computer check. Preliminary guidelines call for counties to mail a notice to voters whose information doesn't match so the voters can update their records. That raises concerns among some county officials about the cost and possible voter confusion," Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch.

Jan 19: Voting machine maker in antitrust suit

WASHINGTON DC -- "Diebold recently sold its notorious electronic voting machine business to its biggest rival, Election Systems and Software. Now, the Justice Department reportedly plans to sue ES&S on antitrust grounds," Brett Neely, American public Media.

Dec 21: All military installations to aid in voter registration

WASHINGTON DC -- "The Department of Defense said this week that it would require every military installation around the world to help troops register to vote, the latest move in Washington to eliminate what are considered longstanding obstacles to voting by military personnel.... Experts say registration can be as big a hurdle for troops as absentee balloting, since military personnel typically move repeatedly and often keep voting addresses in other states. Federal law requires states to accept a standardized 'post card application' for registering troops. But the Defense Department inspector general found in 2004 that installations often did not provide adequate help in filling out those applications," James Dao, New York Times. Posted Dec 17.

Dec 17: Voting machine fix won't cost Montgomery County
State certification of software needed before company can begin repairs

DAYTON -- "Problems with Montgomery County’s electronic voting machines will be fixed for free once the state certifies new software, according to Steve Harsman, director of the Montgomery County Board of Elections. Harsman told the board on Tuesday, Dec. 15, that there are continued problems with calibration of the touch screen, an issue discovered in 2006. Additional calibration and testing procedures were put in place to catch problems. Harsman said about 137 voting machines were outside of tolerance standards and had to be pulled from use prior to last November’s election," Lynn Hulsey, Dayton Daily News.

Dec 15: Repair the vote
The House and Senate have acted. Now they must bridge their differences to help Ohio avoid trouble on Election Day

COLUMBUS -- "With the 2010 political battles on the horizon, the Ohio Senate last week approved an election law update that targets Republicans' concerns lingering from last year. The challenge now is to reconcile the measure with a broader House-passed bill before partisanship sweeps away all chances of compromise. Given the votes in each chamber, that won't be easy. In the Republican-led Senate, the election bill drew a single Democratic vote, from Tom Sawyer of Akron. When the Democratic-run House passed its version last month, no Republican supported it. Partisan difficulties aside, the larger effort is badly needed. Indeed, Sawyer explained his vote as moving forward the legislative process. (He prefers the House bill.) Experts warn that the potential for an election disaster still exists in the state," Akron Beacon Journal. Posted Dec 13.

Dec 10: Senate passes election changes
Compromise to be sought with Ohio House bill

COLUMBUS -- "Senate Republicans approved a variety of election-law changes yesterday, such as increasing the number of places where voters can cast absentee ballots and ending the one-week span when Ohioans could register and vote on the same day. The action came three weeks after House Democrats passed their own set of election-law changes. The question now is whether the two chambers will marry their ideas in time for the 2010 elections.... The House and Senate bills do contain some similar provisions," Jim Siegel, The Columbus Dispatch.

Dec 7: Editorial: Early voters mean new strategies

CUYAHOGA COUNTY -- "But familiar political routines are rapidly changing as early voting turns Election Day into a monthlong season -- more like the retail run-up to Christmas. In Cuyahoga County last month, almost half of the vote was cast during the 35 days before Election Day itself.... Since 2005, voters in Ohio have been able to get an absentee ballot for any reason during the five weeks before Election Day. They can also cast a ballot at their county Board of Elections. Traditionalists can still wait until Election Day. Counting begins only after the polls close. Smart campaigners are retooling for a new age,'" Joe Frolik, Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Dec 4: Editorial: Promoting democracy
Settlement will help Ohioans to register properly for voting

COLUMBUS -- "Ohio should comply with the National Voter Registration Act, a 1993 law that required motor-vehicle bureaus and public-assistance offices to offer registration forms and help people fill them out. The state hasn't been complying, and a settlement announced last week to a lawsuit brought by voting-rights advocates is a good remedy. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in September 2006 against then-Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell, focused on the failure to actively offer registrations in public-assistance offices. But just as important is the need for the state to follow the so-called motor-voter law in Bureau of Motor Vehicles offices. Meeting the terms of the settlement will require training employees of public-assistance offices to make sure they know how to help customers register to vote. Voter-registration applications and information about the right to vote are to be included in each agency's benefits form, and similar information will be built into the computer system used by all frontline caseworkers for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services,"The Columbus Dispatch.

Dec 4: U.S. Judge opposes Republicans on elections

NEW JERSEY -- "The Republican National Committee will not be able to use election tactics that have been linked to suppression of voting by racial minorities without court supervision, a federal judge in New Jersey has ruled.... In an opinion issued on Tuesday, Judge Dickinson R. Debevoise of Federal District Court ruled that the Republicans failed to show that conditions had changed enough to justify changing the agreement. 'It does not appear that the R.N.C.’s incentive to suppress minority votes has changed since 1982,' Judge Debevoise wrote, citing statistics showing that most minority voters support Democrats. 'It appears that the R.N.C. has been largely unsuccessful in its efforts to attract minority voters. Until it is able to do so, it will have an incentive to engage in the type of voter suppression that it allegedly committed in the actions that led to the enactment and modification of the consent decree,'" John Schwartz, New York Times.

Dec 3: State to settle suit over voter-signup materials

COLUMBUS -- "The state has agreed to settle an election-related lawsuit that said public-assistance offices in many Ohio counties failed to provide voter-registration materials when residents sought benefits, as federal law requires. Among other things, the settlement agreement filed last week calls for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services to reprogram a computer system to automatically print a notice of voter-registration rights when someone seeks public assistance. The lawsuit was filed by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now and two Cleveland-area residents in 2006. It is among several election lawsuits being settled," Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch.

Dec 3: Pair fined in cases of voter fraud

COLUMBUS -- "O'Brien has said he continues to pursue a handful of voter-fraud cases from the 2008 election after prosecuting six people in voting-related cases last year. O'Brien said his office investigated 55 people referred by the Franklin County Board of Elections based on media reports or other sources. The cases involved allegations of voting more than once, not being U.S. citizens, and improperly registering and voting -- especially campaign workers and others who were not Ohio residents but came to the battleground state to help swing the presidential election," Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch.

Nov 24: Upgrade Ohio's laws for petitions

COLUMBUS -- "For the past two decades, groups upset with the laws the state legislature and governors have passed or not enacted have taken it to the streets, collected signatures and then gone directly to voters with referendums and constitutional amendments. It is the essence of a democracy to be able to bypass indifferent elected officials, but Ohio and the 23 other states that allow initiative petitions have also witnessed a wave of abuse and fraud as the stakes have risen at the polls. Each election cycle it seems to get worse," Dennis Willard, Akron Beacon Journal.

Ballot History since 1950

Blog: Garrison proposes bill governing petition drives
Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch.

Garrison pushes petition reforms
Laura Bishoff, Dayton Daily News.

Ohio Democrat pushing plan to cut petition fraud
Jim Provance, Toledo Blade.

Nov 19: Elections bill passed by divided Ohio House
Registration would be easier, 'golden week' eliminated

COLUMBUS -- "The Ohio House passed a bill yesterday over Republican objections to make sweeping changes to how elections are run in the state, including expanding the number of sites where voters can cast early absentee ballots. But the bill, which the Democrat-controlled House passed 52-46 along party lines, now faces an uncertain future in the GOP-led Senate. The Senate has been considering its own elections bill, and the sponsor, Sen. Bill Seitz, said he urged the House to delay yesterday's vote to seek compromises toward passing one bill. But he said he was told that House leaders wouldn't wait," Mark Niquette, Columbus Dispatch.

Editorial: A better way
Electronic voter registration could reduce fraud and boost accuracy, confidence
The Columbus Dispatch.

Nov 12: Election Bill splits parties

COLUMBUS -- "An Ohio House committee, divided along political party lines, passed an elections reform bill today that Republicans claim gives more clout to the Secretary of State, who is currently a Democrat. State Rep. Bob Mecklenborg, a Republican committee member from Green Township, complained that Substitute House Bill 260 gives Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner ultimate veto power over appointments to the county Boards of Election; the power to break tie votes on the number and location of early voting centers in each county; and authority to dictate to local election boards how to allocate voting machines and ballots. The bill narrowly passed the House Elections and Ethics Committee, 7 to 6 along party lines today, and is headed to the full House, which convenes again on Nov. 18," Jon Graig, Cincinnati Enquirer.

Sen. Seitz surprised by House committee OK of election bill; could doom quick final passage
"...Now it is likely the Senate will proceed with its own bill and that there will not be time to reach agreement on a final bill before the end of the year, said Seitz. The goal had been to have a bill signed by Gov. Ted Strickland for the May 2010 primary. It is not considered likely that negotiations would go on in 2010 before the primary and general election on a topic as sensitive as election overhaul," William Hershey, Dayton Daily News.

Nov 10: Editorial: Take the first step
Basic election reforms shouldn't be stalled by partisan jockeying

COLUMBUS -- "The Democratic majority in the Ohio House and Republican majority in the Senate should find the election reforms they can agree on and move expeditiously to enact them. Time is growing short before the high-profile, high-stakes 2010 midterm elections. Competing bills to make Ohio voting smoother, more accessible and less vulnerable to fraud are being considered in both chambers of the General Assembly. Senate Bill 8, authored by Sen. Bill Seitz, R-Cincinnati, has been stuck in committee since its introduction in February. Substitute House Bill 260, originally introduced in August by Columbus Democratic Reps. Dan Stewart and Tracy Heard, is likely to pass before Thanksgiving. There's no guarantee about the fate of either piece of legislation if it reaches the opposite chamber," The Columbus Dispatch.

Nov 9: Clock ticking for elections fixes
Ohio House, Senate disagree on overhaul bill

COLUMBUS -- "After a year of study and debate about overhauling Ohio's election system, it remains to be seen whether voters will see significant changes when they cast ballots for statewide elections next year. The Democrat-controlled House is poised to pass an elections bill before Thanksgiving, but a competing bill in the Republican-led Senate remains stuck in committee -- and it's not clear how each chamber would treat the other's bill, or how differences would get resolved in a conference committee.... The competing bills do address many of the same issues and have some common goals. For example, both call for additional early-voting sites after voters jammed the single sites allowed in each county for the 2008 presidential election," Mark Niquette and Jim Siegel, The Columbus Dispatch.

Nov 9: Brunner still has $15,000 mess
Elections panel says it couldn't get handle on 'convoluted transaction'

COLUMBUS -- "The case of Jennifer Brunner and $15,000 worth of office equipment has left the Federal Election Commission too confused to render an opinion and the Ohio Democrat saying she isn't sure what to do next. The bipartisan six-member commission reached a unanimous decision yesterday to not provide the opinion requested by Brunner as to how her U.S. Senate campaign could account for $15,000 worth of computers and other equipment that was purchased by her defunct Ohio secretary of state campaign. Federal election law prohibits using money raised for a state campaign to aid a federal campaign. Brunner had asked the panel to bless her plan to donate the fair market value of the equipment to charity as a way to comply with the law," Jonathan Riskind, The Columbus Dispatch. Posted Nov. 6.

Nov 5: Political foes team up to improve voter registration

WASHINGTON DC -- "In this lull between major elections, advisers from recent Republican and Democratic presidential campaigns have joined together to try to come up with a better way to register voters. An estimated 2 million Americans were unable to vote in last year's elections because of problems with their registration. Others didn't even bother to register because it was too difficult," Pam Fessler, NPR.

Listen to the story

Oct 29: Voter-registration reform could dampen disputes

Larry Norden

COLUMBUS -- "Elections in Ohio can produce controversy that is sometimes corrosive to the public's perception of the integrity of our electoral system. As long as Ohio remains a politically important and closely divided state, there will continue to be hotly contested election-related disputes. But changes to election law in Ohio can minimize the frequency and impact of some of these controversies by creating clearer and fairer laws that improve election administration, decrease burdens and costs on county election offices and put the voters first," editorial, Lawrence Norden, Columbus Dispatch.

Oct 19: Bill to improve Ohio elections hangs in balance

COLUMBUS -- "Despite being the product of months of review and discussion, a wide-ranging proposal to try to improve Ohio's elections hangs in the balance as the Ohio House and Senate struggle to work together... The leaders of the two chambers have not yet said how they will reconcile the bills and when they'd like to try to pass them. Lawmakers have canceled half of their session days this year and have sent the governor nine bills in just over nine months, a report by the government watchdog group Ohio Citizen Action found," Stephen Majors, Associated Press. Published October 18.

Oct 14: Brunner denies request to speed up Cuyahoga vote counting

COLUMBUS-- "Brunner’s office denied the request because it might have constituted a voting system modification, according to a letter sent in late September from a member of Brunner’s staff to a manager with Election Systems & Software, the maker of the county’s voting machines. Such modifications must be approved by the Ohio Board of Voting Machine Examiners, which does not have a meeting scheduled before the general election.... A ballot scanner is assigned to each of the county’s voting precincts, and a memory stick inside a scanner records votes cast in that precinct. After the polls close, the memory sticks are taken to the board’s warehouse on Cleveland’s East Side and uploaded into a computer that compiles the results," Joe Guillen, Cleveland Plain dealer.

Oct 14: Letter to the Editor: Elections require nonpartisan director

COLUMBUS-- "The League of Women Voters of Ohio was pleased that an Oct. 4 Dispatch editorial, "Neutral arbiter needed," recommended bipartisan oversight of Ohio elections and agrees that partisanship has no place in election administration. Almost five years ago, the league proposed appointment of a nonpartisan state director of elections by a bipartisan board. This person would be approved by the Ohio Senate and would be independent of political parties, similar to the inspector general or the directors of the Ethics Commission and the Elections Commission.," Meg Flack, League of Women Voters of Ohio.

Oct 14: Absentee-ballot fraud suspected in Franklin County

COLUMBUS-- "Franklin County officials are investigating possible fraud involving absentee ballots for the Nov. 3 election, in which voters will decide the fate of casinos proposed for Ohio's four largest cities. Franklin County Elections Director Michael Stinziano said yesterday that seven applications for absentee ballots appear to have been filled out by the same person. The matter has been referred to Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien, Stinziano said. Filling out a false application is a fifth-degree felony," James Nash, The Columbus Dispatch.

Oct 13: 800 told to redo absentee ballot requests

COLUMBUS -- "Nearly 800 residents will have to submit new applications to vote by mail because they did not provide all the required information, Franklin County Board of Elections officials said yesterday. Voters must provide their full name and address, an original signature, their date of birth, and either their Ohio driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number. The elections board sends out a notice to those who don't properly fill out request forms. Voters must then submit new requests, which must be reprocessed," Robert Vitale, The Columbus Dispatch.

Elections board suspects voter fraud
Howard Wilkinson, Cincinnati Enquirer.

Oct 9: Elections board suspects voter fraud

HAMILTON COUNTY-- "The Hamilton County Board of Elections is asking the county prosecutor to investigate possible vote fraud because of discrepancies in about 50 absentee voter applications. GOP county chairman Alex Triantafilou, who chairs the elections board, said he and Democratic Party chairman Tim Burke, a board member, have asked county prosecutor Joe Deters to investigate the suspect absentee ballot applications that have come into the board of elections since the early voting period began Sept. 29.... Triantafilou said the decision to ask Deters’ office to investigate was bipartisan," Howard Wilkinson, Cincinnati Enquirer.

Oct 6: Editorial: Neutral arbiter needed
Proposals to remove partisanship from election oversight are worthy

COLUMBUS -- "Given the recent politicization of the office, the Ohio secretary of state need not and probably should not be the state's chief elections official. The Republican who wants the office next year and the Democrat who currently holds it agree on this point. State Sen. Jon Husted, R-Kettering, and Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner each have proposed that a bipartisan, statewide elections board be created to assume the election-oversight duties now performed by the secretary of state. Details of the proposals differ, but the essential point is to remove the secretary of state, a partisan officeholder, as the final authority on elections," The Columbus dispatch. Posted Oct 4.

Sep 28: Bipartisan board put forth to boost trust in elections

COLUMBUS -- "It's time for Ohio to consider creating a bipartisan state board of elections to work with an elected secretary of state as a way to help improve voter confidence in how elections are run. That's the conclusion of Jennifer Brunner, Ohio's current chief elections officer, in a new report that advocates starting a discussion about restructuring the job of secretary of state. The idea is to keep an elected secretary to oversee day-to-day administration of elections but shift some of the major election decisions to an appointed, bipartisan state board similar to the bipartisan county boards of elections," Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch.

Bipartisanship in Election Administration: is there enough?
Nathan Cemenska, Election Law @ Moritz.

Sep 22: Husted doesn’t live where he votes, Brunner decides
Senator vows to fight ruling on his residency

COLUMBUS -- "State Sen. Jon Husted, R-Kettering, is not a resident of the Kettering home where he votes, according to a long-awaited ruling Monday night, Sept. 21, by Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner. Husted, who is running for Ohio secretary of state, faced two challenges to his residency for voting purposes at 148 Sherbrooke Drive, Kettering. Husted vowed to fight Brunner’s ruling, saying he will take legal action so he can exercise his 'right to vote in the November election,'" Lynn Hulsey, Dayton Daily News.

Ohio SOS Brunner rules State Sen. Husted is not a resident of his elected district
Examiner.com

Sep 15: Diebold sale raises concern
Nearly all of Ohio's counties now to be served by one voting-device company

COLUMBUS -- "When Diebold Inc. announced recently that it was ending an ill-fated foray into voting systems by selling its election business to a rival company, some observers hailed the news. After all, Diebold had become synonymous with suspicions of fraud and other controversy from the 2004 election, even after the North Canton-based company changed the name of its elections division to Premier Election Solutions.... It was a rocky run, especially after former Diebold Chief Executive Walden O'Dell vowed in a 2003 fundraising letter for President George W. Bush to help 'Ohio deliver its electoral votes to the president,'" Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch.

Sep 1: Elections panel waiting on Brunner request

COLUMBUS -- "[Secretary of State Jennifer] Brunner's campaign sent a letter June 11 asking the Federal Elections Commission to determine the legality of an agreement designed to allow her U.S. Senate campaign to use about $15,000 worth of equipment bought with state campaign funds, which normally is prohibited. But when asked last month about the status of Brunner's request for an advisory opinion, the FEC said it doesn't consider the request complete and won't move forward until it does. Brunner's campaign said at the time that it never received correspondence from the FEC seeking information and that the details would be provided. Asked about the matter twice last week, the campaign would say only that it is looking into it," Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch.

Aug 25: Blog: Brunner studies ways to cut voter wait times

COLUMBUS -- "When it comes to waiting in line to vote, there is no practical way to have a statewide maximum wait time, according to a report released Monday, Aug. 24, by Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner . Brunner found that the best way to avoid long lines is to have back-up paper ballots on hand, properly train poll workers, and strategically distribute voting machines, the report said. 'As seen in the successful 2008 presidential election, Secretary Brunner has a proven track record of implementing best practices that ensure free, fair, open and honest elections. Secretary Brunner remains committed to policies such as fair voting machine allocations, uniform poll worker training and backup paper ballots during very high turnout elections,' Deputy Assistant Secretary of State David Farrell said. Brunner also recommends giving counties the ability to open up to four early voting locations, mandating voting machine allocation planning, and streamlining ballot design," Laura Bischoff, Dayton Daily News.

'Wait time' limit for voting not needed, Brunner says
Darrel Rowland, The Columbus Dispatch.

League of Women Voter's Press Release regarding the Ohio Secretary of State’s Election Wait Time Report.

"While it may be impractical to establish a statewide maximum permissible Election-Day wait time for voters, the LWVO believes it is critical that Secretary Brunner establish a clear statewide goal for maximum permissible Election-Day wait times. With such a goal, it would be the responsibility of each county board of election to analyze the problem at the county level based on past elections and a current pre-election assessment. Each county’s pre-election Contingency Plan, required and reviewed by the Secretary of State, should address how the county plans to avoid long Election-Day wait times and how they plan to deal with the problem should it arise,"

Aug 17: Editorial: Improving elections
House bill includes sound reforms; party leaders should reach consensus

COLUMBUS -- "Much of the [election-reform bill put forth by Ohio House Democrats recently and backed by Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner] already has the support of Republicans who attended the elections summits, held in December and March, and of the bipartisan Ohio Association of Election Officials.... Voters shouldn't be disenfranchised for typographical errors and trivial discrepancies, but elections officials should have the opportunity to investigate them.... Just as politicians of both parties have contributed over the years to Ohio's national reputation for contentious elections, leaders of both parties must jointly approve, if reforms are to be credible," The Columbus Dispatch. Posted Aug 16.

Aug 8: Easier, cheaper voting plan proposed

COLUMBUS -- "Steve Harsman, director of the Montgomery County Board of Elections, is encouraged by Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner’s comprehensive proposal to make voting easier and save money at the same time. Among other things, it would permit counties to have up to four locations for early voting and it would move special elections to primary and general election days, saving an estimated $2.7 million to $5.4 million annually. 'I think it’s definitely an opportunity to streamline the process,' Harsman said Tuesday, Aug. 4. 'I think it’s definitely a step in the right direction,'" William Hershey, Dayton Daily News.

Aug 5: Brunner, Dems unveil voting overhaul plan

COLUMBUS -- "Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner and two fellow Democrats in the Ohio House on Tuesday, Aug. 4, unveiled a voting overhaul plan that they want to put in effect before the 2010 elections. Highlights of the plan, which would require approval from the House and Senate and Gov. Ted Strickland’s signature, include: Expanding the number of early voting locations to four," William Hershey, Dayton Daily News.

Jul 28: Ohio redistricting could change VW representation

VAN WERT -- "A total of 14 plans were submitted by the public but three were disqualified immediately because they did not meet one of three current requirements - at least one district with a plurality of African-American voters as required by the Voting Rights Act, roughly the same number of voters or all parts of a district being connected. The current district plan was also included in the contest and was scored the worst of all the remaining 12 options. Van Wert County would see significant changes under any of the three winning plans. In the top-ranked plan, Van Wert would be in a district that ran directly south down the state border and include Mercer, Darke, Preble, almost all of Butler, Miami and the western portion of Montgomery County.... Though none of the plans were binding and the Assembly will still need to examine the whole issue, the contest plans do give an idea of what might lie ahead for Van Wert County's representation in Washington D.C. in the future," Kirk Dougal, TimesBulletin.com.

Jul 24: Blog: New voting scanners OK'd for use in Ohio

COLUMBUS-- "For the first time in nearly three years, there is new voting equipment approved for use in Ohio after the U.S. Election Assistance Commission and the state certified the newest version of an optical-scan system from Election Systems and Software.... The upgraded system boasts a larger display screen to easily alert voters when they mistakenly cast too many or not enough votes in a race, as well as a digital scan of each ballot to help detect any tampering, Brunner said in a release.... The big question, of course, is whether cash-strapped counties will have the money to buy voting upgrades anytime soon or be in a position to tap a new state loan fund for voting equipment," Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch.

Jul 16: Deceased voters 'aid' casino petition locally, across Ohio

MONTGOMERY COUNTY -- "The signatures of deceased voters in Montgomery County and across Ohio are showing up on petitions aimed at putting a plan for four casinos on the Nov. 3 ballot. The names of the deceased make up only a small fraction of the 850,000 signatures casino backers have gathered, but add fuel to a heated campaign.... County boards of election are to report back today to Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner on the number of valid signatures. She will rule by July 21whether supporters have the required 402,275 signatures to get on the ballot. If they fall short, they get an extra 10 days to qualify," William Hershey and Margo Rutledge Kissell, Dayton Daily News.

Jul 13: Advocate cleared of voter fraud

Rev. Aaron Wheeler

COLUMBUS -- "A fraud probe has cleared a civil-rights advocate who drove 600 miles back to Ohio to cast his ballot for Barack Obama. 'It's so good to have your name intact -- your good name!' said the Rev. Aaron Wheeler. 'And my vote counted.' Wheeler, who had marched with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s, retired Oct. 30 as a member of the Ohio Civil Rights Commission," Barbara Carmen, The Columbus Dispatch.

Jul 13: Cuyahoga County reform coalition submits more than 75,000 signatures to Cuyahoga County Board of Elections, moving closer to putting plan on ballot

CUYAHOGA COUNTY -- "A coalition of civic and business leaders submitted more than 75,000 signatures to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections Friday, moving a plan to restructure county government one step closer to voters. The group, led by Democrats Bill Mason, Parma Heights Mayor Martin Zanotti and several Republican officials, needs 45,000 valid voter signatures to put its plan on the November ballot. If the coalition falls short, it will have a short window to resubmit new signatures. The coalition wants to replace the current three-member county commission with an elected executive and 11-member council. The county would still have an elected prosecutor but other elected offices, such as the auditor, would be eliminated," Mark Naymik, Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Jul 6: Letter to the Editor: Settlement of suit solidifies reforms

COLUMBUS -- "An estimated 28 percent of Ohio voters had significant trouble voting in the 2004 presidential election, earning Ohio the infamous mantle of "poster child of bad elections." Incensed by the lack of elected officials' oversight, the League of Women Voters of Ohio, the League of Women Voters of Toledo-Lucas County and 12 individuals filed a federal lawsuit to force occupants of the offices of governor and secretary of state to protect Ohio voters' 14th Amendment rights.... Without the settlement, there was no guarantee the next occupant of the secretary of state's office would continue reforms implemented by Brunner. The reforms are far too detailed to be legislated and, thus, must be defined by directives, advisories and memorandums from the secretary of state.... The league's goal is to protect eligible Ohioans' right to vote, to ensure valid votes are counted and to guarantee that voting systems provide accurate, transparent and secure records of all ballots cast. This settlement moves us much closer to that goal," Meg Flack, President League of Women Voters of Ohio Columbus.

Jun 22: Editorial: Changes already being made in the way elections are run

COLUMBUS -- "While it would have been instructive to hear all the details surrounding former Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell’s mishandling of the 2004 presidential election that made the state the butt of national jokes, the settlement of a federal lawsuit filed by the League of Women Voters of Ohio is the proper course of action. A full-blown trial would have cost Ohio millions of dollars — at a time of a deepening state budget crisis. The lawsuit was filed by the league in 2005 alleging that Blackwell, along with then Gov. Bob Taft, and their predecessors had failed to protect the fundamental rights of eligible Ohio voters to cast a 'meaningful' ballot.... 'The agreement reached represents the best interests of Ohio voters and guarantees careful planning, evaluation and oversight of the process that will provide greater access to the election process,' said Peg Rosenfield, elections specialist for the League of Women Voters of Ohio. 'It is our hope that it restores public confidence in our elections process,'" Youngstown Vindicator. Posted Jun 20.

Jun 22: Elections officials criticize settlement

COLUMBUS -- "Some county elections officials are criticizing this week's settlement of a lawsuit aimed at improving voting, saying it's unneeded and could hamper their ability to run elections.... [Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer] Brunner and league officials argue that continuing to litigate the lawsuit could have cost $5 million, and they downplay any additional costs or burdens while touting the improvements the settlement will bring to state elections. The lawsuit was filed four years ago in the wake of the troubled 2004 Ohio presidential election. It argued that long lines and other problems dating back three decades meant not all Ohio voters had the same access to voting," Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch. Posted Jun 20.

Jun 18: Election-rules lawsuit settled
League of Women Voters of Ohio alleged state violated citizens' rights

COLUMBUS -- "The state and the League of Women Voters of Ohio have agreed to settle a 4-year-old federal lawsuit that argued in the wake of the 2004 election that the state failed to protect the right of all citizens to vote and have that vote counted. Under the settlement, the state and county elections boards must provide uniform poll-worker training and complete pre-election plans for allocating voting equipment, providing security and other steps to minimize problems at the polls. Elections officials also are required to better track provisional and absentee balloting, as well as post-election reporting of election data including precinct-level numbers from Franklin County and other large Ohio counties," Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch.

Election settlement troubling
If you have been a voter for all or any part of the past 30 years, then a court settlement on Tuesday should be an insult to your democratic sensibilities.... In order for the league to drop the lawsuit, the state must promise to stop messing around with the most important aspect of our democracy and start taking elections seriously....
It took a federal lawsuit to get this promise? Dennis Willard, Akron Beacon Journal.

Ohio settles lawsuit from 2004 election
Challenge filed in Toledo questioned system's legality
Jim Provance, Toledo Blade.

Jun 18: Editorial: Think long-term
Absentee-ballot policy should make sense for all elections, not just August

COLUMBUS -- "Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner made the valid point last week that if blanket mailings of absentee-ballot applications go to any Columbus voters before the Aug. 4 special election, then they should go to all Columbus voters. In declining to intervene in a matter involving the Franklin County Board of Elections, Brunner cited that principle. The board members are deadlocked in a 2-2 vote on whether to mail the applications to Columbus voters, who will decide whether to increase the city income tax. She said that, for all Columbus voters to be treated equally, the elections boards in Delaware and Fairfield counties also would have to mail absentee-ballot applications to voters who live in Columbus precincts within those counties. She instructed Franklin County board members to talk to their counterparts in those counties and reach a common plan," The Columbus Dispatch.

Jun 16: Brennan Center for Justice Report: Can the U.S. register every voter?

NEW YORK, NY -- "Yesterday, the Brennan Center released a new study of sixteen countries that shows that in nearly every democracy surveyed, government assures that every eligible citizen is registered to vote. If the United States modernized voter registration in this way, it would add between 50 and 65 million citizens to the rolls. 'Can American build a system where every eligible citizen is registered? Most other democracies already have,' said Michael Waldman, Executive Director of the Brennan Center," Brennan Center for Justice

Click here to download the report

Jun 12: Brunner requests blessing of deal
Senate campaign's use of equipment bought by state campaign is at issue

COLUMBUS -- "Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner is asking the Federal Election Commission to determine the legality of a secret agreement designed to allow her U.S. Senate campaign to use equipment bought by her now-defunct state campaign.... Catherine Turcer of Ohio Citizen Action, a nonpartisan government watchdog, said the arrangement between Brunner's state and Senate campaigns may turn out to be legal but doesn't pass what she called 'the giggle test.'... 'It is so disheartening to have the chief elections official attempt to find a way to avoid election law,' she said," Joe Hallett and Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch.

May 28: Blog: A call for Universal Voter Registration

NEW YORK, NY -- "Between 2 and 4 million Americans were unable to vote in the last election because of problems with their registration. And that's just people who tried to vote; in 2006, there were more than 65 million who were eligible to vote, but weren't even registered. That's a third of potential voters. It doesn't have to be this way. Registration rates in other countries frequently run upwards of 90 percent (both Canada and France hit that mark, for example, while Venezuela stands at roughly 94 percent, and Russia about 97). Now reformers are seizing the moment to use existing law to expand registration, as well as considering new laws that could finally put the United States on an equal footing with many of the world's other democracies," Katrina vanden Heuvel, The Nation.

May 22: Problems with provisional ballots

COLUMBUS -- "More than 5.7 million Ohioans cast ballots in the general election last year and nearly 207,000 of those were cast provisionally. The Advancement Project is strongly committed to reducing the number of provisional ballots. “We want to guarantee that voters who make every effort to vote are able to cast a regular ballot in the election, and that those ballots are counted,” said Donita Judge, the State Lead Attorney for the Advancement Project.

40,000 provisional ballots were not counted in the 2008, primarily because the Boards of Elections determined that the voters were not registered in Ohio. “You transpose a name or number or leave off an apartment number and that’s considered a non-match, said Judge. “We believe that those voters really should be registered voters. There are just too many instances of database problems."

Of the 40,000 provisional ballots cast last November, more than 14,000 were cast in the wrong precinct or county. “HAVA (Help America Vote Act) left it up to the states to determine 'jurisdiction' and Ohio narrowly defined it to mean precinct,” said Judge.

Ohio has the narrowest definition of voting jurisdiction. Ohio voters must vote in the correct precinct. Some voters find their polling location but not the correct precinct when they arrive to vote.

The Advancement Project is an innovative civil rights law, policy, and communications “action tank” that advances universal opportunity and a just democracy for those left behind in America. ," Catherine Turcer and Leontien Kennedy, Ohio Citizen Action.

Election Enhancements for Ohio
Ohio Secretary of State

The 2008 Election in Ohio: Final Report
Brennan Center for Justice

Registration to Recounts
Election Law @ Moritz

May 12: Editorial: Fallout at the elections board
Jennifer Brunner copes with local partisans and a misguided court ruling

AKRON -- "No surprise Jennifer Brunner is in a tough spot these days dealing with the Summit County Board of Elections. Her authority to appoint members crimped by an overreaching Ohio Supreme Court decision last year, the secretary of state must now work with a board that cannot come to grips with how to trim a payroll out of line with other counties of comparable size. The board deadlocked last week. Republicans Brian Daley (on the board thanks to the high court) and Jack Morrison support a plan to cut 18 jobs. That's a good start, but Morrison and Daley have taken a highly political tack, targeting employees who sided with Don Varian, a moderate Republican put on the board by Brunner instead of Daley, at least until the court intervened," Akron Beacon Journal.

May 8: Editorial: Get serious
Election laws should either be enforced or changed to be enforceable

COLUMBUS -- "A $31.7 million pileup of ancient, unpaid fines for election-law violations doesn't inspire much respect for those laws. The Ohio Elections Commission, charged with interpreting the laws, and the attorney general's office, which is supposed to enforce penalties, should work together to see that they aren't ignored.... If the Elections Commission and the attorney general's office don't have the resources to spend time tracking election-law violations, then lawmakers and executives should review the state's priorities," The Columbus Dispatch.

May 6: Letter to the Editor: State on short end of election-law mess

COLUMBUS -- "It's a shame that some of our state legislators have chosen to ignore the election law about campaign financing that they, in fact, drew up. The Friday Dispatch article 'Election-law violators owe $31.7 million' said that there is $31.7 million owed to the taxpayers of Ohio because of noncompliance with the law and that the likelihood of collecting even a fraction of what is owed is doubtful. That the state is settling for pennies on the dollar with these people is a travesty. Couple that with the report that the Ohio Elections Commission can't seem to keep up with its responsibility to report election-law violations in a timely manner, and the public is getting shortchanged two ways," The Columbus Dispatch.

May 5: Editorial: Make it better
Ohio lawmakers should act on recommendations to improve voting system

COLUMBUS -- "Add Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner's recommended election reforms to a report issued in March by the New York-based Brennan Center for Justice, and the General Assembly has a good roadmap for improving voting. Legislators should make it a priority to have new laws and rules in place in time for the 2010 elections for governor and other statewide offices. Brunner and the Brennan Center, which she invited to conduct election summits in Ohio following last November's presidential contest," The Columbus Dispatch.

Final Report 2008 & 2009 Election Summit and Conference
Brennan Center for Justice.

May 5: Editorial: Brunner and her helpers propose smart reforms for Ohio voting

COLUMBUS -- " Given the number of human beings involved and the issues at stake, it's probably impossible to run an election that is either perfect or completely free of controversy. But Brunner -- who early on earned a reputation for unilateralism -- has proposed a set of reforms that would make Ohio's voting system less confusing, more transparent and maybe even cheaper. She did so after convening two lengthy meetings in Columbus of Ohio election officials, national voting experts, legislators, party leaders, nonpartisan watchdog groups and law professors to discuss what Ohio had done right and wrong in 2008 and what it needed to improve in the future. To that end, Brunner has proposed a shorter early-voting period, with no chance for anyone to register and cast a ballot the same day. She wants to limit the number of reasons why someone would need to cast a provisional ballot and to streamline voter identification requirements, both of which should aid harried poll workers," Cleveland Plain Dealer.

May 4: Fewer early voters for off-year primary

COLUMBUS -- "Lines of Franklin County voters snaked through the grand foyer of Memorial Hall, spilling out doors and down the sidewalk to Gay Street during early voting for last year's primary election. Those voters said democracy was worth the wait. A week before polls are to open Tuesday for the 2009 May primary, voters again were making their way to the Franklin County Board of Elections," Barbara Carmen, The Columbus Dispatch.

Ohio counties with no May primary elections
"Adams, Athens, Brown, Butler, Clark, Clinton Coshocton, Fayette, Gallia, Guernsey, Harrison Hocking, Jackson, Lawrence, Lucas, Morgan, Noble Paulding, Perry, Pike, Putnam, Union, Vinton," Associated Press.

May 4: Blog: Brunner backs expanded use of voting-equipment fund

COLUMBUS -- " When Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner initially proposed a new revolving-loan fund to help counties pay for new voting equipment, she wanted to restrict the funds solely for the optical-scan systems with paper ballots that she prefers over touch-screen voting machines. But after the Ohio Association of Election Officials complained that counties should be able to buy the system best suited to their counties, Brunner relented and recommended that the funds could be used for any type of approved voting system," Mark Niquette, The Columbus Dispatch.

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