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Brunner tells election board to determine Husted’s residency

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By Lynn Hulsey, Staff Writer Updated 12:05 AM Tuesday, June 9, 2009

DAYTON — The question of Ohio Sen. Jon Husted’s residency has been sent back to the Montgomery County Board of Elections by Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner, who also subpoenaed records of his water, electric and natural gas usage.

She said Husted’s response to her request for documentation of his residency was incomplete and she issued six subpoenas for the utility records, along with property and postal records.

She directed the board to consider all the documents and said the board “should reach a determination on the question of Husted’s residency,” according to Brunner’s letter released Monday evening, June 8.

On Monday Husted said he hopes for a quick decision by the board once it reviews the documents sent by Brunner.

“I think that information supports the fact that I have continuously been a resident,” Husted said. “I’m glad that we are hopefully finally going to come to a conclusion of this process after 8 months.”

The board will consider the matter on June 23, said Director Steve Harsman.

In February the board deadlocked along party lines over the question of Husted’s residence, with the two Republicans saying they were satisfied from his testimony at a board hearing that he is a legal Kettering resident. The two Democrats voted no.

Tie votes are to be decided by the secretary of state, who also has the option of sending the matter back to the board for further review. Brunner said the testimony provided by Husted to the board did not contain enough information to reach a conclusion.

In October the county board of elections received two complaints claiming Husted does not live at the 148 Sherbrooke Drive, Kettering, home where he is registered to vote. The complaints were filed after an Oct. 18 article by the Dayton Daily News raised new questions about his residency. Husted has owned and lived in two condominiums in Columbus and also lived with his wife in her two homes in Upper Arlington, a suburb of Columbus.

Husted has owned and lived in two condominiums in Columbus and also lived with his wife in her two homes in Upper Arlington, a suburb of Columbus.

Husted says his legal residence is in Kettering but he stays with his wife and children in Upper Arlington because of the demands of his job in the legislature.

Ohio’s residency law for voting says the “place where the family of a married person resides shall be considered to be the person’s place of residence.”

Husted has said the law allows for absences from the residence on state business and that he intends to return there.

Husted was elected to the House in 2000 and became Speaker in 2005. In November he was elected to the Ohio Senate, representing the 6th District, which includes Kettering. Husted also recently announced he will run in 2010 to become Ohio Secretary of State.

By law legislators must live in the district they represent and voters must live where they are registered to vote. The board of elections is considering Husted’s residence for voting purposes. It would be up to the Ohio Senate to determine if he is a resident of his district.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7455 or lhulsey@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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