League of Women Voters of Ohio Education Fund
	Ohio State Government November 2, 2010 Election
	Candidates Answer Questions on the Issues Secretary of State; State of Ohio

The questions were prepared by the League of Women Voters of Ohio and asked of all candidates for this office.     See below for questions on Election reforms, Partisan politics, Fair election administration, Disenfranchised voters, Redistricting Click on a name for candidate information.   See also more information about this contest. 1. What election reforms do you support? Answer from Charles R. Earl: *Candidate Response was not received by publication deadline. Answer from Maryellen O'Shaughnessy: I support the elections reform package presented in H. B. 260. Legislators are continuing to work out a compromise measure, I and hope that a bill will move forward in order to continue to improve elections processes in Ohio. As Secretary of State, I look forward to working to: continue support of early in-person and by-mail voting; review and simplify vote-by-mail processes, to reduce error; explore and employ cost savings measures, in partnership with boards of elections, like voting centers and purchasing pools; continue to work toward more consistent application of poll worker training; continue to improve processes for poll worker recruitment; explore feasibility of online voter registration; continue to look for ways to securely employ new technologies; work toward better education on voting rights, followed by assured voter registration for high school seniors; simplify confusing voter ID laws; clarify use of and reduce reasons for provisional balloting. Answer from Jon Husted: I am a co-sponsor of the election reforms in Senate Bill 8, which passed the Senate and is pending in the Ohio House. I have been actively involved in offering suggestions to bring compromise to the process so that broad-based bipartisan support can be developed to avoid the controversies from out-of-state influences that have undermined confidence in Ohio`s system of elections. Additionally, I support establishing a one-time, bipartisan election advisory commission+ made up of Republican and Democrat co-chairs + to gather information and make recommendations to the Secretary of State to provide stability to those on the frontlines of elections operations and ensure our state conducts elections in a manner in which we can all be proud. 2. Do you believe the Secretary of State should avoid involvement in partisan politics and, if so, what steps would you take to accomplish this? Answer from Jon Husted: We must stop using the office of Secretary of State as a tool to gain partisan advantage in elections. This undermines confidence in elections, and if you cannot trust how you elect a government, the people of our state will not trust the manner in which we govern. I will work with local boards of elections and others to provide leadership that builds trust and confidence in Ohio`s system of elections and will create a culture in the Secretary of State`s office where our goal is always to remember we are there to serve the public. Answer from Maryellen O'Shaughnessy: Yes, I do. There has been overtly partisan activity in the administrations of former Secretaries of State. I believe that such activities tend to undermine citizens` trust in elections. I am a Democrat, and bring those values with me to the office. But upon election, the Secretary of State must work for all Ohioans to assure fair and trustworthy elections. As Chief Elections Officer, I will not endorse candidates or ballot issues, and will rely on the partnership, advice and guidance of bipartisan and nonpartisan elections specialists as I ensure that all qualified Ohio electors have access to a fair and trustworthy elections process. There are two important resources: the 88 county bipartisan boards of elections, and the current bipartisan Voting Rights Institute, both of which will bring a balanced point of view to the office. I will employ Republicans and Democrats in the office, to assure a balanced viewpoint. Answer from Charles R. Earl: *Candidate Response was not received by publication deadline. 3. How will you ensure fair, honest, and impartial election administration in Ohio? Answer from Jon Husted: Elections are not and should not be run from Columbus. Elections are run at the local level, and the job of Secretary of State is to provide help and guidance for local elections officials to ensure elections are run smoothly and with integrity. I will avoid using 11th hour directives that have undermined the trust and relationship between the Secretary of State and local boards of elections. I will act as a fair and timely arbiter as disputes arise + casting aside partisanship and utilizing law and rule to resolve ties and disagreements. Answer from Maryellen O'Shaughnessy: I will continue to build on the reforms put in place in recent years by our current Secretary of State. I will continue to work to enfranchise all qualified Ohio citizens, while taking a strong stand against any instance of voter fraud or suppression. I support doing a comprehensive review of the environment and related facts 17 regarding allegations of voter fraud in Ohio, in order to create strong and effective policies that will address these issues. I support the use of post election audits to increase voter confidence in election outcomes and processes, and will look for ways to do this cost effectively. Answer from Charles R. Earl: *Candidate Response was not received by publication deadline. 4. Who do you believe are disenfranchised voters and how would you ensure their right to vote? (No candidates submitted answers to this question) 5. As a member of the Apportionment Board, what approaches would you support to ensure an open, fair and transparent process for redistricting? (No candidates submitted answers to this question) Responses to questions asked of each candidate are reproduced as submitted to the League.  Candidates' statements are presented as submitted. Word limits apply for each question. Direct references to opponents are not permitted. The order of the candidates is random and changes daily. Candidates who did not respond are not listed on this page.