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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2010 > March > 12 > Entry
Uncontested races for third parties may cost up to $15,000 in additional printing
Voters in the May primary will have few extra choices when asked which ballot they want. Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner made it easier this year for minor party candidates to stand for election. For county boards of election that translates to higher costs because they have to print separate paper ballots for voters in each party, said Steve Harsman, director of the Montgomery County Board of Elections.
“Democracy is not cheap,” said Greg Gantt, board chairman. “Sometimes we have to spend the money to make sure that we’re being accessible to voters.”
Brunner made it easier for the smaller parties to get on the ballot in response to a court of appeals ruling on ballot access, Harsman said.
The county uses electronic voting machines, but also provides paper ballots at the polling places for people who must vote provisionally or don’t want to use the machines. Typically in the past voters had a choice between voting to nominate Democrats or Republicans for the November General Election, and the choice of voting only on issues such as school levies.
But this year voters can also pick ballots for the Constitution, Green, Socialist or Libertarian party. The additional ballots will cost Montgomery County $10,000 to $15,000 more for the primary, Harsman said. To save money his office will only print absentee ballots for minority parties as they are requested, rather than have a batch printed up in advance, Harsman said.
General Election ballots contain candidates from all parties, so the additional cost then will be if the additional candidates cause the ballot to stretch to a second page, Harsman said.
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Comments
By Nancy
March 15, 2010 1:12 PM | Link to this
Esrati party of 1… exactly. He gets 1 vote each election, himself.
By new party!
March 12, 2010 3:39 PM | Link to this
Next up, the Esrati party! Party of one, your table is ready!
By sigh
March 12, 2010 3:20 PM | Link to this
Good. The two party system has strangled America long enough.
By PK
March 12, 2010 2:57 PM | Link to this
It’s about time! One of my big complaints in Ohio was unfair ballot access. The only way to really change is to get out of the 2 party system. This is the first step to actual democracy!