Secretary of State Brunner Has New Ideas for Ohio Elections

The Columbus Dispatch reported that Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner set forth several new proposals at the winter meeting of Ohio election officials in Columbus. One was to have conduct elections totally by mail if only issues are on the ballot. Another was to try to select poll workers like we do jurors and allow poll workers to work 8 hour shifts. Brunner also announced plans to retest all Ohio voting systems to make sure that voting machines are working correctly. Finally, she announced that she and her staff would not be attending receptions at the meeting that were sponsored by companies that sell electronic voting machines such as Diebold.

After putting up with Ken Blackwell's machinations as Secretary of State, it is refreshing to see someone like Brunner in that office. Brunner is trying to make the office work for Ohio's voters. Blackwell tried to make the office into a subsidary of the Ohio GUP. We especially like her policy not to attend receptions sponsored by companies like Diebold. Brunner is sending a message that she is in charge of the office and that policy reinforces that message.