By Don Rutledge
FPS Associate Editor
October 20, 2009
The Carroll County Board of Elections has been placed on Administrative oversight by Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner.
What that means is the Secretary of State’s office basically is overseeing the operations of the Board of Elections office due to recent developments involving several issues, including the omission of some 20 absentee ballots from the Feb. 3, 2009, special election from the official count and certification of that election to the Secretary of State’s office.
Other issues are outlined in the following e-mail received Friday afternoon following an in-office conference call from the Secretary of State’s office with officials of the Carroll County Board of Elections during an all-day meeting about staff concerns.
In a release received Friday afternoon by The Free Press Standard, the Secretary of State said: “Effective Oct. 16, 2009, I am placing the Carroll County Board of Elections on administrative oversight for the following reasons:
1) Ongoing conflict among board staff members that undermines the effective functioning of the board of elections.
2) Board members acting outside the scope of their authority by making decisions without consulting with other board members in an open meeting and without having appropriate board policies in place.
3) Failure to comply with the Secretary of State Directives, specifically Directive 2009-11 regarding the submission of a complete election administration plan by the Sept. 30, 2009, deadline. The elections administration plan that was submitted was late and only addressed two of fourteen areas that were required to be covered.
No good faith effort has been made since the incomplete submission to comply with this directive.
4) Repeated violations of Ohio’s open meetings law by the board, including board members making decisions by telephone via “round-robin” or “serial” meetings rather than in a public meeting.
5) Questions about the proper conduct of the February 2009 special election with regard to absentee ballots and the role of staff and board members and outside contractors.
Secretary Brunner went on to advise the Board of Elections they are required to comply with instructions and directives of the Secretary of State’s office as this office oversees the operation of the Carroll County Board of Elections to ensure that elections will be conducted in a fair, orderly and efficient manner.
“In addition, representatives of my office will conduct weekly conference calls with the board to obtain status reports and provide direction, assistance and other needed support,” Brunner continued.
“These calls will be conducted with Director Christine Vernier, Deputy Director Amanda Tubaugh and two board members of different political parties, along with Elections Assistant Administrator Jacqueline Rothschuh, Assistant General Counsel and Elections Counsel Brian Shinn and Regional Liaison Ann Block,” Brunner said.
“Your county prosecutor is also welcome to participate,” she added.
Brunner also said all board members are instructed to participate with two board members (one Republican and one Democrat) on each call and with board members alternating between weekly calls.
“Administrative oversight shall continue until I am confident that the board can meet its statutory obligations without support,” Brunner said.
Prior to adjournment at the Board’s special meeting Friday, a motion made by David Jones, a Republican, and seconded by David Reece, a Democrat, was approved to place the staff of the Board on administrative oversight for 60 days with one and possibly two board members to be on-site to oversee operations at all times, at least up to the Nov. 3 general election. |
