Wed: Ohio Secretary of State to Talk Live With Citizens on Radio and the Internet & Important News from S.C.

In the best tradition of American representative democracy, Ohio's Secretary of State, Jennifer L. Brunner, will hold an on-air Radio and Internet Dialogue with Citizens of Ohio and throughout the United States to address the issues surrounding voting problems and possible ways to make some improvements in time for the November 2008 elections in Ohio and thus in turn for the Nation..

Madame Secretary will open with an update on the status of Ohio Election Issues and expected next steps followed by a Dialogue with Citizens.

This program is being presented as an example of how OUR representatives may listen and work with citizens, creating a true dialogue/partnership that supports a vibrant and good working representative democracy.

The 2008 election is proving to be one of major concern over the security, reliability and verifiability of our votes. Many fear that the problems continually found in electronic voting machines and the secrecy of the programming as well as other issues relating to registration and voter ID will lead to a major meltdown in November. Some even believe that 2008 could prove far worse than 2000 and 2004. This story is finally becoming front page news as more people become aware of the looming issues that must be addressed. Can they be? Will they be? What will the short term and long term solutions look like?

Ohio has already identified major problems in electronic voting machines and processes through the EVEREST study, instituted by Secretary Brunner, the findings of which were far worse than expected. (details here: http://www.sos.state.oh.us/sos/info/everest.aspx )

The vote belongs to the people! This week's "Voice of the Voters!" is an opportunity for the people of Ohio and the rest of the United States to hear from the Secretary of State Brunner directly and to express their questions and concerns to her.

Then Mark Adams, lawyer and voing rights activist, will be making a very important news announcement on actions concerning South Carolina elections.

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Questions from all over the country are welcome. We especially want to hear from Ohio citizens.

As always, the incomparable John Gideon of Voters Unite will be on hand to share up-to-the-minute voting news and analysis you won't hear anywhere else.

Voice of the Voters, hosted by Mary Ann Gould, is an hour devoted to voting rights and election reform. Ultimately it is an exploration of Representative Democracy itself and the responsibilities of citizens and their elected representatives. It airs every Wednesday night at 8:00 PM ET on 1360 AM and on the Internet. (http://wnjc.duxpond.com/)

Dial-up Internet users: Please turn off all other programs in order to receive clearest broadcast.

Listeners can call in questions live at 856-227-1360 or 856 232 7078 and submit questions in advance at the Voice of the Voters website.

Archived Voice of the Voters shows are available here.

www.voiceofthevoters.org

Bio: Secretary Jennifer L. Brunner

Jennifer Brunner served as a Judge of the Franklin County Common Pleas Court for more than four years. She was elected to an unexpired term in 2000, edging out a governor's appointee, and was reelected to a 6-year term in 2002. Brunner resigned on September 1, 2005, in order to run for Ohio Secretary of State.

Working with leaders in the criminal justice and treatment communities of Columbus, Brunner formed and presided over Franklin County's first adult felony drug court. The drug court is a specialized docket that Brunner operated in addition to her regular docket that promotes accountability by offenders to maintain drug and crime-free lives. Franklin County's drug court is used by the Supreme Court of Ohio as a model for other county courts that want to start drug and mental health courts.

While a judge, Jennifer Brunner adopted the practice of permitting jurors in criminal and civil trials to take notes and ask questions, a practice aimed at improving trial outcomes and juror satisfaction. The procedures she used and developed were appealed in the case of State v. Fisher, a case tried in Brunner's court in 2001. The Ohio Supreme Court affirmed the practice and the procedures used by Jennifer Brunner. The high court thereafter operated a pilot project allowing questioning by jurors and has adopted rules for questioning by jurors in trial courts throughout the state.

Jennifer Brunner's interest in public service dates back to her days as a committee secretary and legislative aide in the Ohio Senate, as Legislative Counsel for former Secretary of State Sherrod Brown, now a member of the U.S. House of Representatives (D-13, Ohio), and as members of the Franklin County Board of Elections and the Ohio Student Loan Commission.

After serving in Secretary of State Sherrod Brown's first administration as a deputy director and legislative counsel to the Ohio legislature, Jennifer Brunner developed a statewide law practice in election law. Working with her husband, she grew a law firm from two people to thirty people, and in her work assisted local, statewide and presidential candidates, legislative caucuses, labor unions, businesses, associations and other organizations in complying with often-complicated election laws and in successfully accessing Ohio's election system. While a judge, Brunner served as a board member for the Ohio Community Corrections Organization, representing common pleas judges from throughout the state. She continues to serve as a board member for the Mental Health Association of Franklin County.

Jennifer and her husband, Rick, have three adult children and live in Columbus, Ohio.