'Challengers' - Blackwell V.B.

During the April 4 meeting, Blackwell was absent, owing to the fact that he had other business with which to occupy himself. Towards the end of the meeting, Chairman Walch revealed that Blackwell's office would circulate a draft, which would include the testimony of the committee. The committee would analyze the bill at the April 17 meeting. After having spent most of the April 17 meeting commenting upon the bill, the committee realized that it needed another meeting to deal with the draft. Chairwoman Walch agreed to schedule another meeting around the primary election date of May 6.

On May 8, Blackwell issued a brief press bulletin, announcing that in four days on the 12th the committee would hold another meeting, whereat the final draft would be unveiled for public comments. The SoS revealed that the State had received 5 million in initial funding, expected to garner an additional 30 - 35 million once the plan was published, as well as solicited bids from eleven contractors vieing for contract to design a statewide voter registration database

At the final meeting, Chairwoman Walch spoke for the majority of the time, noting also that Mr. Harry Long was absent, owing to the fact that he needed to bring his wife to the hospital. She also put forth the required dates for implementation of the plan, which was to be posted on the SoS website:

1) May 13th began the 30-day period for public comments
2) On June 16 the plan would be submitted to the Election's Assistance Comission
3) On June 2, the SoS would award a contract for the voter registration system.
4) On May 16, they would release the Request For Proposal for the voting systems and would award the bid on June 23.

Sos Blackwell concluded the meeting by saying

"Thank you, Dana and a hearty thank you to each committee member and to all the citizens that assisted in the drafting of the plan. It is a solid plan for a substantial procurement task with a progressive implementation strategy and schedule. I consider it to be a perfecting tool for a highly competent staff and a statewide network of dedicated election professionals. We are prepared, and we will succeed."

Once again everything looked roses for placing better voting machines into the various precints. The committee had worked hard and assissted in some manner with the plan, even recommending, along with Blackwell since his innaugaration as SoS, open absentee balloting, i.e., anybody could vote absentee without needing to give a justifiable reason as to why precisely they would be absent and unable to vote on election day.

On the June 16, Blackwell released the report. Section XIX, part 2 (page 47) related that even though the state of Ohio expected to receive some 161 million tax-payer dollars in matching federal funds, the entire amount for Ohio would not exceed 137 million tax-payer dollars. Blackwell's office would disperse 106 million of the 131 million for not only the installation of new voting machines, but also the updating of older eloctonic machines. Any remaining amount from the 106 million, not used for updating and installation, would fund a voter hotline and, more importantly, a state-wide voter registration drive. Of the remaining 31 million tax-payer dollars, the SoS would appropriate 5 million tax-payer dollars for educating and informing the poll workers of each of Ohio's 88 counties. Another 5 million tax-payer dollars would be appropriated by the SoS for a state-wide voter education program. Things still seemed to go swimmingly in beauracracy land.

Please e-mail the Editor-in-Chief with any questions.