Commentary from Ohio's former Secretary of State, Jennifer Brunner, on Ohio voters' resounding rejection of S.B. 5, the ban on public employee collective bargaining

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Yesterday's referendum victory in defeating Ohio's Senate Bill 5, what would have been a ban on collective bargaining by public employees at all levels of government, is sobering from many vantage points. It doesn't lend itself to a yin-yang, Democratic-Republican, black-white analysis. The vote gave public workers a little relief, leaving a lot of challenges ahead. Here are some things to consider.

A referendum is a "citizens' veto," a tourniquet that stops bleeding--but more is needed to heal. Now the hard work begins.

The independent vote in Ohio is as strong as it's ever been. Independent voters made it clear that fists must be unclenched and hands extended.   Working together is Ohio's best chance to heal the state with the greatest speed and effectiveness.

There can no longer be "politics as usual"--for anyone. If government leaders are truly focused on people, their needs, their families and their lives, their greatest tool must be respect. More was clearly needed here.

Ohio's dire social and economic situation calls for moving forward as best as people can together. A greedy few often benefit most when citizens are pitted one against another. The enemy should never be us.

As each side picks up the pieces from political theories smashed and dreams of rebuilding a better Ohio, all Ohio's leaders should look to the greater interests of Ohioans, making a sincere effort to work together. A fair process is the genesis of the greatest good, a pathway to achievement for many.

As I was walking my dogs early this morning in downtown Columbus, I saw one of my former employees from the Secretary of State's office. She said all year she had felt vilified by the new law. Now she felt respected by the voters. More respect from all sides could go a long way to make 2012 less painful for all of us.

Authors Bio:
I am a former Ohio Secretary of State, having served as Ohio’s 52nd and first woman Secretary of State from 2007-2011. During my tenure, I met the four goals I set for my administration in the first two and a half years: to improve trust in Ohio elections, to improve the efficiency of business services, to protect Ohioans’ private information and to establish the nation’s first web-based index of quality of life indicators for Ohio.

The most visible part of my job was Ohio’s 2008 presidential election, which was a smooth election with a record number of voters. I accomplished this with the help of a great staff and hard work by Ohio's 88 county boards of elections. This entailed my demanding the resignations of members of both political parties of the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections and appointing a new bipartisan board that has helped move the state forward. Before leaving office I facilitated negotiations with the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections and the U.S. Justice Department for an agreement that now offers English/Spanish bilingual ballots for the first time in Ohio.

As Ohio’s licensing officer of notaries public, in 2010, I brought to President Obama’s attention harmful federal legislation that he ultimately vetoed to stop the spread of “robo-signing” in foreclosure proceedings. I am grateful that my work in improving Ohio’s elections has received national recognition, including the nation’s most prestigious award for elected public servants, the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award, for what Caroline Kennedy called, “dauntless commitment to the enfranchisement of every Ohio voter.”

Prior to serving as Ohio’s 52nd Secretary of State, I was elected twice judge of the Franklin County Common Pleas Court where I was able to pioneer the practice of allowing jurors to ask questions and started the county’s first adult felony drug court.

I did not run for reelection as Secretary of State in 2010, instead seeking to be Ohio’s first woman U.S. Senator in a tough primary election where I was defeated after being outspent nearly 4 to 1 but garnered 45% of the vote with no television advertising.

I have happily returned to the practice of law at Brunner Quinn, the law firm I started many years ago when my three children were in elementary school and preschool. I continue to advocate through the recently formed Courage PAC for election and campaign reforms, financial reform and better government.

My husband, Rick, and I are parents to three adult children and grandparents to a granddaughter. We've been married since 1978.