Ohio 2008, Still Not Ready For An Election!
A February Check-Up of the Election Websites.
Absentee and Voter Registration Forms Have Problems.
Blackwell still the Secretary of State in One County…
And Only 23 Days Away From 2008 The Presidential Primary.
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By Paddy Shaffer
Director, The Ohio Election Justice Campaign
February 10, 2008,
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An initial report is just in from one of our new citizen election researchers, Jennifer Alexander. There are some troubling issues that need immediate attention for the Ohio Board of Election Websites. It is our hope that this article and research will be taken seriously by Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner and her staff, and that changes will happen immediately to remedy the noted problems. We also hope that the Liaisons entrusted to watch over the County Boards of Elections, will add checking the websites to their duties while doing routine oversight and maintenance for the Boards of Elections (BOE).
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This is urgent, because it looks like some of these problems could easily take away the ability to vote for many people. Auglaize County doesn’t ask for the correct identification information, making it difficult to process the voter’s paperwork. The website does offer this helpful statement, “Voting is a privilege for citizens of the United States. Information that will be helpful to you about voting in the State of Ohio is listed below.” Then it says nothing. Perfect for our current situation, for some it looks like again this year, nothing is known that will help them to vote. It should be enough that we are citizens of this country, why does it have to be so hard?
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Darke, Defiance, Hancock, and Shelby counties invite the voter to fax in the absentee ballot form. At the same time Warren and Montgomery Counties claim it is illegal to fax in such a form. So what will happen to those absentee ballots faxed in? It gets worse in Henry County… Which on their website the information reads, “Deadline for requesting absentee ballot is noon December 10, 2007” yet according to the Ohio Secretary of State, the deadline is “noon the Saturday before election”, which would be March 1, 2008. How can Henry County be off by months… for the absentee ballot? Who is watching over this state?
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The Ohio Election Justice Campaign has been strongly beating the drums for election reform, and requesting that Secretary Brunner do something to assist in the investigation and prosecution of citizen documented election crimes for 2004 and subsequent elections, with the urgency turned up to high since August of 2007. We have repeatedly been told that there is no evidence, which is untrue; we even provided it to both the Secretary of State (SOS), and to the Attorney General (AG). Both the SOS and AG offices have repeatedly told us that they can’t do that investigation and prosecution, because they can only focus on getting ready for 2008 elections. How do they say they are ready? What the OEJC has found on some of the websites proves… THEY ARE NOT READY.
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When looking at Lawrence County, under "numerical list of election forms" at the top it says KEN BLACKWELL and is dated 12/06. This refers to who the Secretary of State is. Does the Lawrence County BOE know that J. Kenneth Blackwell has not been the Secretary of State for the past 14 months?
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At this time on behalf of the Ohio Election Justice Campaign, and the voters of Ohio, I hope the Secretary of State in Ohio, Jennifer Brunner (who will be receiving a copy of this) will personally make certain that no voter is adversely effected by the mismanagement of some of these Ohio websites. I would also like to note that there are some sites in very good shape. Thanks to those that have done their duty.
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Please take a look at the below data, and a description from the researcher of what she found, and some of her thoughts. If you are in a different state, please do this health check-up on your election websites. They should all work, nation wide. And now the research, there are more fascinating details below that I have not touched on….
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Research By: Jennifer Alexander, Ohio Election Justice Campaign
February 9, 2008
State of Ohio Board of Elections Comparison of County BOE Web Sites
Only a few areas of concern were addressed in this first comparison of the county sites:
1) instructions, forms, dates and rules listed pertaining to ABSENTEE VOTING
2) employee and board member listings, contact info and party ID
3) listing of board meetings
4) poll worker info
5) public records request policy
I looked over most info, even that which didn't pertain to the above items, yet not with the same precise attention. I "red flagged" anything that caught my attention or that I questioned. I "bold red flagged" items that need immediate attention. When I first started I had the intention to document and compare all info, and "rate" each county. My schedule has not allowed that, therefore you will see a few comments about rating. I gave a rating to a few counties that stood out either for the bad or good. These were based on nothing more than my opinion, the amount of information, and how user friendly the site was for me.
I claim no perfection in any way with the below comparison report, it is basically nothing more than my notes. Taken on what each BOE felt was important priority information to be listed or not listed on their county BOE site. I understand and respect the limitations some of these counties have with their budgets compared to other counties. Yet, what I don't understand or respect are counties that are publicly posting information that is simply wrong or outdated that can cause voters rights to be taken away from them.
The below notes were taken while studying the differences in the county BOE sites, after the documented problem in Montgomery County reported in the Dayton Daily News on 2/2/08.
http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2008/02/01/ddn020208elex.html
My notes are from 2/3/08-2/7/08
During this period of time, I saw several counties make changes with their web sites or make updates.
I question, if after the problem with Montgomery County, if the SOS office themselves, or each county didn't start to take a closer look at the info they posted. Trying to correct mistakes, possibly prior to the media taking a closer look or activist groups.
| ADAMS COUNTY
NO WEB SITE | ALLEN COUNTY absentee SOS FORM #11A PDF; director, deputy, board members listed without contact info or party ID; no poll worker info; no board meeting info; no public records info; general email contact |
| ASHLAND COUNTY | ASHTABULA COUNTY general email address; no director, deputy or board members listed; no board meeting info; no public records request info; very very brief poll worker info; voting demo |
| ATHENS COUNTY
NO WEB SITE | AUGLAIZE COUNTY absentee SOS FORM #11A PDF; with instructions for writing the BOE to request absentee they do not properly instruct how to do so, leaving out needed info like IDENTIFICATION, nor do they list any deadline dates. director, deputy, clerk listed with email but no party ID; board members listed with no contact info or party ID; no board meeting info; no public records request info;poll worker page blank;good links; voting demo |
| BELMONT COUNTY
NO WEB SITE | BROWN COUNTY |
| BUTLER COUNTY | CARROLL COUNTY
NO WEB SITE |
| CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
NO WEB SITE | CLARK COUNTY director, deputy, and board members listed, yet no contact info or party ID; no poll worker info; no public records request info |
| CLERMONT COUNTY | CLINTON COUNTY poll worker info; M100 Optical Scan Reader demo; board meeting calendar; no public records request info;Media Alert's listed, last one dated Oct. 2007, needs attention it mentions clothing worn into the polling place shouldn't have campaign related material on it, and if it does, not allowed in unless the option of turning it inside out makes it unreadable...the law needs to look at closer here, are they also including campaign buttons as well?...I have seen judges make young voters take their shirts off to vote. As a poll worker I have always been trained, clothing/buttons...no problem...as long as not campaigning within 100 feet.
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| COLUMBIANA COUNTY
NO WEB SITE | COSHOCTON COUNTY
NO WEB SITE |
| CRAWFORD COUNTY | CUYAHOGA COUNTY voter info hotline # (first I've seen);entire web page devoted to "Electronic Voting" (first I've seen) yet troubled by the fact that the vendors info, opinions and responses are listed and SOS Brunner and Project Everest Report are not given even equal opportunity, when in reality the SOS's decisions are the only items that should be listed; guide for paper ballots (first I've seen);good links; "job opportunities(first I've seen, and happy since it seems most do not properly publicly post these positions); poll worker info and manual, shocked by the pay of $172.10 for poll worker and $200.00 for poll coordinator, not that I don't think they should get this amount, but I thought there was a cap on the amount to be paid in Ohio??? THIS IS THE TOP BOE SITE IN OHIO FOR OTHER BOE'S TO LEARN FROM |
| DARKE COUNTY | DEFIANCE COUNTY states you may apply for a regular absentee ballot "until the close of regular board of elections' hours the day before the election" SOS says "until noon the Saturday before election" this county also states FAXING in request for absentees as an option...Montgomery states this is against the law, SOS only states military members have FAXING option. poll worker info listed as well as "rovers"(first I've seen mention rovers) they pay the same to poll workers and rovers at $90.00 (I would think rovers should make more than poll worker because of more detailed responsibility. |
| DELAWARE COUNTY | ERIE COUNTY
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| FAIRFIELD COUNTY
| FAYETTE COUNTY |
| FRANKLIN COUNTY absentee request form in PDF (like Montgomery that you can fill it out online, didn't test that it keeps info properly) the file says it is the SOS FORM #11A, yet it doesn't look like all the others do, it is nicer since it forces the voter to also print out an attached instruction sheet as well; director and deputy listed with email contact, yet no party ID; board members listed without contact info or party ID;open meeting policy listed(first I've seen this); meeting dates and times listed; meeting minutes to view (first I've seen this); media press releases;"Paper Ballot Plan"(first I've seen this); poll worker info excellent, best I've seen, "Youth At the Booth" first I've seen; no public records request info....I rate this site an "A" | FULTON COUNTY director and deputy listed without contact info or party ID; board members listed by party without contact info; absentee SOS FORM # 11A PDF, yet no instructions or dates about absentee voting; link to Premier Election Solutions; no board meeting info;no poll worker info; no public records request info; hardly any info at all on this site |
| GALLIA COUNTY
NO WEB SITE | GEAUGA COUNTY absentee SOS FORM #11A PDF; director, deputy, board members all listed, yet no contact info or party ID; poll worker info (3 hour training class, longest I've seen listed) also have info for "student poll workers" (first I've seen, and it pleases me); no board meeting info; no public records request info listed |
| GREENE COUNTY | GUERNSEY COUNTY
NO WEB SITE |
| HAMILTON COUNTY poll worker manual and info; great archived info; great voting procedure instructions; newsletters, community outreach workshops and seminars; no public records request info. I rate this site an "A" | HANCOCK COUNTY FAXING against the law", they also suggest faxing in other forms like "Registration Cancellation Form") (unless you click onto absentee request form PDF, it does not explain what is needed for voters who do not use this form, yet hand write a request for an absentee ballot...like what identification forms and party ID...) general email contact listed;director, deputy listed without contact info or party ID; board members listed without contact info or party ID; staff listed; poll worker info listed ("a person not affiliated w/ a political party may serve in either a DEM or REP poll worker position" this same statement is listed on only the Miami County site, no others); good links;demo for touch screen voting; (the new address for this BOE, is the same address listed for the Ohio Association of Election Officials) |
| HARDIN COUNTY | HARRISON COUNTY
NO WEB SITE |
| HENRY COUNTY no board meeting info listed; no public records request info listed; no poll worker info listed; "Deadline for requesting absentee ballot is noon Dec. 10, 2007" Secretary of State says deadline is "noon the Saturday before election" so that date is March 1, 2008.........way off wrong info!!! | HIGHLAND COUNTY
NO WEB SITE |
| HOCKING COUNTY
NO WEB SITE | HOLMES COUNTY |
| HURON COUNTY
NO WEB SITE | JACKSON COUNTY
NO WEB SITE |
| JEFFERSON COUNTY absentee SOS FORM #11A PDF; general email contact listed; director, deputy, and board members listed without contact info or party ID; entire DEM & REP executive committee listed(plus each members address and home phone #); no board meeting info listed; no public records request info listed | KNOX COUNTY
NO WEB SITE |
| LAKE COUNTY | LAWRENCE COUNTY |
| LICKING COUNTY absentee SOS FORM # 11A PDF; director and deputy listed, no party ID, no contact info, staff listed:board members listed by party ID, pictures, no contact info;general email listed;poll worker info; link to SOS "your vote counts Ohio";no board meeting info; public records request info listed, yet limit the amount of records...stating Ohio Revised Code Chapter 149??? (yet in Sunshine Laws this only pertains to those gathering records for commercial purposes, which is not stated) also cut off date for list, labels etc. (21 days prior to election) | LOGAN COUNTY
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| LORAIN COUNTY absentee ballot SOS FORM #11 A
| LUCAS COUNTY absentee form SOS # 11A PDF; no director, deputy, board members even listed; no board meeting info; no public records request info; touch screen voting demo; poll worker info; records retention scheduled dated 1997; not a user friendly site |
| MADISON COUNTY absentee SOS FORM #11 A PDF; director,deputy, and board all listed by party ID, not contact info: general email address; board meetings listed; (poll worker info "under construction"); no public records request info | MAHONING COUNTY absentee SOS FORM #11 A PDF; explanation of absentee takes you to SOS site; director, deputy and board members listed by party ID, no contact info; general email; no board meeting info; no public records request info; poll worker info; interesting history of the "creation of Boards of Election" |
| MARION COUNTY absentee ballot SOS FORM # 11A PDF no general email contact listed; director, deputy, board members not listed; no board meeting info; no public records request info; poll worker info | MEDINA COUNTY absentee ballot SOS FORM # 11A PFD; director, deputy, and board members all listed by party ID; only contact general email: no board meeting info;no public records request info; no poll worker info |
| MEIGS COUNTY
NO WEB SITE | MERCER COUNTY
OFFLINE NOT ABLE TO REASEARCH |
| MIAMI COUNTY listing old rules for absentee voting, not the current laws of "NOT NO FAULT "absentee voting, the site list all the requirements that need to be met to qualify for such(ex.out of state for election day); with poll worker info they also state you need not be affiliated with either political party to serve as either a dem or rep for election day???yet later it states just the opposite info about party general email and email for director, deputy,and admin.assistant; board members listed as well without party ID or contact info;contracted web design to TGM Designs (in Troy);awesome election glossary(first I've seen);great election info for candidates;great links; no board meeting info;no public records request info if mistakes were cleaned up this would be a top rated county BOE site in my opinion. | MONROE COUNTY
NO WEB SITE |
| MONTGOMERY COUNTY director,deputy, board members listed and pictures, no party ID or contact info;online voting demo; online video about importance of poll working;poll worker info;general email; no board meeting info; no public records request info; ballot tabulation info(only site I've seen this);good links;DOCUMENTED PROBLEM with absentee form, wasn't holding the Democratic party selection for all elections, yet did for Republican party once printed if voter didn't catch the mistake prior to sending, they would have only been able to vote on issues or questions(2/08) Dayton Daily News | MORGAN COUNTY
NO WEB SITE |
| MORROW COUNTY
NO WEB SITE | MUSKINGUM COUNTY list director, deputy, and board members no contact info or party ID; general email address; online voting demo; absentee info takes you to SOS site; poll worker info;good past election info;no public records request info; no board meeting info |
| NOBLE COUNTY
NO WEB SITE | OTTAWA COUNTY absentee SOS FORM # 11A PDF; poll worker info;director, deputy, board members and staff all listed by party, no contact info; general email address;good listing of board meetings and times;central committee for REP&DEM plus home address;good election archive info; no public records request info. I rate this site a "B" |
| PAULDING COUNTY
NO WEB SITE | PERRY COUNTY
NO WEB SITE |
| PICKAWAY COUNTY absentee SOS FORM # 11A PDF;general email address;director,deputy,board members,staff all listed without contact info or party ID;ES&S voter education link;absentee info takes you to SOS link; poll worker info;no board meeting info; no public records request info; yet a daily updated absentee label list | PIKE COUNTY
NO WEB SITE |
| PORTAGE COUNTY absentee ballot SOS FORM #11A PDF; board members listed, no party ID or contact info; general email address;poll worker info; director listed no part ID;DEM & REP Central Committees listed; no board meetings listed; no public records request info listed | PREBLE COUNTY absentee SOS FORM #11A PDF, director,deputy,board members listed without contact info or party ID;general email address listed;poll worker info;no board meeting info;no public records request info |
| PUTNAM COUNTY general email address; only directors name, no deputy, or board members;no poll worker info; no board meeting info;no public records request info;absentee SOS FORM #11A PDF; "International Computer Works,INC., Temple Terrace Florida" is listed on the bottom of their map page?
| RICHLAND COUNTY absentee SOS FORM# 11A PDF; general email address; touch screen voting link; good listing of director and deputy both with party ID and email contact, good listing of board members by party ID, but no contact info;good poll worker info; no board meeting times or dates; no public records request info. |
| ROSS COUNTY general email address; listing of director, deputy, board members, no party ID or contacts and staff;online voting list report free; no poll worker info;no BOE meeting dates or times;absentee SOS FORM #11A PDF;no public records request info. | SANDUSKY COUNTY
NO WEB SITE |
| SCIOTO COUNTY
NO WEB SITE | SENECA COUNTY
NO WEB SITE |
| SHELBY COUNTY general email listed; board members listed no contact or party ID info;absentee form is not provided nor a link to get one, yet they say state "call BOE office or FAX IN WRITTEN REQUEST" on other county BOE sites like Warren & Montgomery it states "NO FAXED ABSENTEE APPLICATION REQUESTS ARE PERMITTED BY LAW";ES&S Model 100 Optical Scan Ballot Counter instructions; poll worker info listed;no listing for board meeting dates or times; no public records request info. | STARK COUNTY absentee ballot SOS FORM #11A PDF; general email address listed;link to touch screen voting demo;poll worker info;good public records request info; retention schedule listed (not sure if it is good or dated); under news releases it has dated info about what to do with [hanging] chadds and how to remove them yourself by pinching them off, also an odd poster that they posted at the polls in 2005.no info listed or names listed for director, deputy, or board members; no BOE meeting times or dates. |
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| SUMMIT COUNTY absentee SOS FORM #11A;board members listed by party, no contact info;no public records request info; nice list of fees for different reports, list,labels;no listing of dates for BOE meetings;good poll worker info;general email contact info;good links. I rate this site a "B" user friendly, good info
| TRUMBULL COUNTY absentee SOS FORM #11A, excellent posting of BOE meeting dates and times, excellent posting of public meeting policy(Sunshine Friendly) best I've seen with this info;excellent poll worker info and online training portal(need username&password)first I've seen this;listing of all board members, no contact or party ID; list of all staff by department;email for both director and deputy; good price list for list, labels, so forth, with no cut off date, just patience policy;no public records request info;good links I give this site an "B", user friendly, good info |
| TUSCARAWAS COUNTY board members listed by party ID, yet no contact info; absentee ballot SOS FORM #11 A PDF; not even a general email contact listed; excellent public records request info (Sunshine Law) poll worker info (lowest pay I've seen at $80 for the day;BOE meeting dates not listed;excellent links to government, news, political parties (best I've seen) I give this site an "B" rating, user friendly. | UNION COUNTY IVOTRONIC voting machine instructions;good poll worker info:board members listed, no contact info or party ID;not even have a general email contact; BOE meeting dates not listed;no public records request info; "PHSYICALLY unable to sign your name" requiring power of attorney,physician statement, requirements not seen with other counties, where you can just make a "mark" absentee SOS FORM # 11A PDF
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| VAN WERT COUNTY board members listed, no contact info or party ID;no public records request info; BOE meeting times and dates listed; absentee SOS FORM # 11A PDF(yet a bad scan, hard to read all info) only a general email contact; poll worker info listed
| VINTON COUNTY
NO WEB S |
| WARREN COUNTY list times of BOE meetings email for Director, list board members, no contact or party ID list poll worker info absentee SOS FORM# 11A, states"no faxed applications by law" NEW Optical Scan Voting System,demo online "records retention schedule" that is dated 1996; rate this site "A" user friendly,good info | WASHINGTON COUNTY board members listed, no contact info or party ID general email contact; staff listed as well; no BOE meetings listed;no public records request info this county doesn't have PDF for an absentee ballot request, yet they explain what is needed to write the BOE for one, yet they don't include the fact that you need to be specific with the PARTY ID INFO with a primary ballot request.
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| WAYNE COUNTY NOT "NO FAULT ABSENTEE VOTING" INFO They state you need certain qualifications to vote absentee(out dated info posted) yet they have proper form SOS#11A no contact names or anything "F" rating for this site
| WILLIAMS COUNTY Board members listed,no party ID, no contact info; central committee members listed: Absentee takes you to SOS web site: use Hart Intercivic E-Slate & E-Scan BOE Board meetings listed in "Bryan times agenda" no BOE meeting info listed, no public records info listed |
| WOOD COUNTY Board members listed by party with contact info: Absentee ballot form is "ODD" "Wood County has 96 precincts in 65 locations that are staffed each election day with voting hours from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Each precinct has three judges and one presiding judge (two Republicans and two Democrats) with some larger precincts being doubled for a total of eight workers. Polling officials are assigned by the precinct committee person for a one year term, but many substitutes are needed especially in the northern part of the county." no BOE meeting info, no public records request info | WYANDOT COUNTY
NO WEB SITE |
SUMMARY
COUNTIES LISTING INFO AS NOT BEING "NO FAULT ABSENTEE VOTING"
1) Miami 2) Wayne
COUNTIES LISTING FOR VOTERS TO "FAX" IN ABSENTEE REQUEST
1) Darke 2) Defiance 3) Hancock 4) Shelby
COUNTY WITH ABSENTEE REQUEST DATE WRONG
1) Henry County has request for absentee voting deadline posted as
"NOON DEC. 10, 2007" this should be MARCH 1, 2008 (noon Saturday prior to
election day)
COUNTIES WITH EITHER DATES OR INSTRUCTIONS EITHER WRONG OR MISSING
1) Ashtabula 2) Auglaize 3) Clark 4) Washington
COUNTIES WITH PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST NOT INLINE WITH SUNSHINE LAWS
1) Greene 2) Liccking
ALREADY MEDIA DOCUMENTED PROBLEMS
1) Montgomery County absentee request form not properly holding "PARTY"
 | Websites for BOE's, Ohio, February Check-Up prior to Election.doc 155K View as HTML Download |
