County Commissioners Balk At Secretary Of State Order

The Fulton County Commissioners said they will not comply with a directive from Jennifer Brunner, Ohio Secretary of State.

The commissioners took the action during a Thursday, Jan. 10, meeting at the Fulton County Board of Elections office.

After the secretary of state had a $1.9 million review of the three electronic voting systems in use in Ohio conducted, deficiencies and security issues were found in each system.

While none were decertified, meaning they could not be used, Brunner has issued a directive that each Ohio county board of elections provide paper ballots for those who do not wish to use the electronic machines.

The Fulton County Board of Elections estimated the cost of providing the necessary equipment, including voting booths, ballot boxes, a system of transport, plus backups for the transportation and ballot boxes, at $19,250, plus another $800 to print the ballots.

The directive calls for the board to print a number of ballots equal to 10% of the number of persons who voted in the 2004 presidential primary election.

The Fulton County Board of Elections also estimated that it would need an additional $456,000 from the Fulton County Commissioners to convert from the current electronic voting machines to a paper-ballot system for the November general election.

The commissioners voted not to appropriate the funds for either action, which Vond Hall, Fulton County administrator, said weren't available in the county budget anyway.

"We feel confident the current voting system is safe and secure, and can be trusted by the voters of Fulton County," Dean Genter, president of the commissioners, said during the Thursday meeting.

Brett Kolb, director of the Fulton County Board of Elections, said a directive handed down by the secretary of state has the affect of state law. In effect, the commissioners' decision puts Fulton County in violation of the law.

But, the commissioners questioned whether Brunner had the authority to create law.

"We feel the secretary of state has overstepped her bounds," Genter said. "It is up to the legislature to make law."

Patrick Gallaway, director of communications for the secretary of state, said the directive does not order Fulton County to provide paper ballots for November.

The matter is being considered by the state legislature, he said. - David Pugh