Friday, October 05, 2007

Brunner Kicks So-Called "Independent" Candidates Off Ballot

Recent actions by Jennifer Brunner show what a difference having a Democratic Secretary of State makes as opposed to having Ken Blackwell. The Akron Beacon Journal's website, www.ohio.com, reported in an entry dated October 5, 2007, that Brunner broke a 2-2 tie on the Summit County Elections Board by ruling that independent candidates, who had ties to the Summit County Republican Party, couldn't appear on the November ballot.

Alex Arshinkoff, the Summit County GOP Chair, was suspected of getting people to run as independents to help GOP candidates defeat Democrats in races for Clerk of Court for the Cuyahoga Falls Municipal Court and Barberton Law Director. With regard to the Clerk's race, Brunner ruled that the candidates had handed in their petitions late. With regard to the Barberton Law Director's race, Brunner ruled that Edna Boyle, a Republican who was defeated in the 2006 primary for Ninth District Court of Appeals Judge, wasn't really an independent. All in all a very neat illustration of what a difference a Democratic SOS can make in Ohio politics.

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