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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2009 > April > 22 > Entry
Brunner proposes end to most special elections
Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner on Wednesday, April 22, proposed moving most special elections to primary and general election days as part of a plan to save taxpayers an estimated $2.7 million to $5.4 million a year.
The proposal was part of what Brunner, a Democrat who’s running for the U.S. Senate next year, called a “cost-effective blueprint” for improving Ohio’s elections. She sent the plan to Gov. Ted Strickland and the legislature and urged speedy action in order to make the changes in time for next year’s statewide elections.
The full report is on the secretary of state’s Web site.
Ohio now permits special elections, which can be costly, in February and August, said Brunner, the state’s top elections official. Also to save money, she proposed using mail voting for vacancy-in-office special elections such as when an elected official dies or resigns.
Other Brunner proposals:
*Focus on voter ID, not the voter’s address, for verification of identity for voting. Allow either an official photo ID or two non-photo IDs, showing the voter’s name, for voting purposes
*Create an annual vote-by-mail ballot request form so voters don’t have to make the requests before every election.
*Expand the number of in-person early voting locations in counties from one to four and decrease the period for in-person early voting from 35 to 20 days before a general election. End early voting no earlier than 5 p.m. on the Sunday before Election Day.
*Complete a new voter registration matching process for the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles and the Social Security Administration and provide counties with a way to access relevant nonmatches. Specify that a nonmatch alone can’t disenfranchise a voter.
*Limit the reasons voters are required to cast provisional ballots and increase the instances in which such ballots are counted. Allow any ballot cast anywhere in a county to be remade and counted if cast by an eligible voter.
The recommendations grew out of two conferences Brunner held after last year’s election and meetings with local elections officials and others, Brunner said.
State Sen. Jon Husted, R-Kettering, who’s running for secretary of state next year, said he would consider Brunner’s proposals along with Senate Bill 8, an election overhaul plan sponsored by Sen. Bill Seitz, R-Cincinnati, and recommendations from the Brennan Center for Justice.
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Comments
By hotel eynck hotel und restaurant in muenster
April 8, 2010 4:25 PM | Link to this
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By Barry
April 22, 2009 10:08 PM | Link to this
anyone ever wonder how much money was wasted on paper ballots last November?
By Get Real
April 22, 2009 8:10 PM | Link to this
Whatever we have to do to vote her out of office works for me.
By CHS
April 22, 2009 7:47 PM | Link to this
Sure why do you think the levies that are voted down in November are then placed on the February or May ballots? Those that want the levies passed know they are being placed on the ballots and will get out and vote. Most voters don’t pay attention to levies and/or elections which are not on the November ballots.
By Bill from Brookville
April 22, 2009 7:20 PM | Link to this
Doesn’t matter. Husted not going to let anything she comes up with go to vote…Hmmm unless she says he’s from Kettering
By Amber
April 22, 2009 6:01 PM | Link to this
Too bad she didn’t investigate voter fraud by Acorn, but I’m sure there’s a reason why $$$. She will never have my vote, no matter what she now comes up with. She did a HUGE disservice to the people of Ohio & it should not be forgotten.
By Jim5
April 22, 2009 4:06 PM | Link to this
I’ll smoke to that!
By Dixie Lady
April 22, 2009 3:28 PM | Link to this
I think it’s a great idea- Agree it does away with “Sneak it in” levies, ect.
By Barry
April 22, 2009 3:18 PM | Link to this
considering the amount of money she wasted last year on paper ballots and other goofy things I think she should be fired as soon as we can
By Sally
April 22, 2009 2:58 PM | Link to this
I think we should absolutely require an official photo id with a current address to vote. There is too much voter fraud going on. Allowing two non photo ids is not good enought
By inquiring mind
April 22, 2009 2:15 PM | Link to this
sorry, don’t know what happened there..curtail the stealth school levies that after repeated failure are snuck into an off election to hide from those who oppose them
By inquiring mind
April 22, 2009 2:12 PM | Link to this
Not a big Brunner fan un general but hats off to her on this one..note just from the perspective of the cost savings itself, but it would greatly curtail thesteastealth
By concerned taxpayer
April 22, 2009 2:09 PM | Link to this
As much as I really don’t like brunners policies thus far, I have to admit I think she is onto something with most of her proposals…
By April
April 22, 2009 1:27 PM | Link to this
I think it’s a great idea. You will probably see more turnout. Special elections aren’t talked about as much so you don’t know they are happening. When they do it’s hard to remember an odd date.