Ohio elections official in Marietta

Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner told members of the Washington County Democratic Party that she's ready to serve Ohio in the U.S. Senate come 2011.

Brunner was keynote speaker during the party's annual spring dinner at American Legion Post 64 in Marietta Friday night.

"We matter in Ohio, we have always mattered. Ohioans should be proud our votes counted and helped put President Obama over the top in 2008," she said.

Chronicling her efforts to change what she termed Ohio's "fragmented" election system after former Republican Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell left office, Brunner said she hoped to work together with Republicans in the Statehouse, but GOP members criticized initiatives like using backup paper ballots during elections.

"Backup paper ballots were a safety net in case of a power outage or if the voting machines broke down," she said. "There was a court challenge to stop it, but we had good lawyers."

Brunner said changes she made in the system resulted in a 45 percent record turnout of voters during the 2008 presidential primary election.

"And those backup ballots saved the day in several counties, although the Republicans may not admit it," she said.

As the 2008 general election approached, Brunner said Republicans began pushing accusations of voter fraud as groups like ACORN sought to register voters.

"I started getting death threats against my family and staff, and I became very concerned about the staff," she said, noting that the governor eventually had her escorted by members of the Ohio Highway Patrol.

"There was no voter fraud, although everyone seemed to be saying there was," Brunner said.

After facing several lawsuits about the issue, the Supreme Court of the United States finally ruled 9-0 that the GOP had no standing against Brunner's office.

"We and you in this room restored confidence in Ohio's election system," she said.

"People in this state care about each other, about their families, they're the salt of the earth. These are the people I want to represent."

Both Brunner and fellow Democrat and Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher are running in 2010 to fill the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Republican George Voinovich.

Ohio Republican Party Chairman Rod Portman has not announced his candidacy, but is expected to run on the GOP ticket for U.S. Senate.

Molly Varner, head of the Washington County Democratic Party, said Democrats seem to be picking up momentum since the 2008 presidential election victories.

"It really feels different having a Democrat in the White House who is, regardless of which party you're from, so different in his approach and communication," she said.

"We also have a new Democrat county commissioner (Cora Marshall)," Varner added. "And I honestly believe a change began in Washington County when Ted Strickland took office. People began to understand you can be intelligent, approachable, and a Democrat."

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formermttan
04-29-09 10:37 PM »Report Abuse	"There was no voter fraud, although everyone seemed to be saying there was," Brunner said. From Columbus Dispatch: A Franklin County judge told three out-of-state campaigners for Barack Obama who voted here illegally that they should have known better. The three chose Ohio over their home states -- where Obama was likely to win -- because they wanted to swing the Electoral College vote toward their candidate, Common Pleas Judge Charles A. Schneider said. He ordered a year's probation, a $1,000 fine and a 60-day suspended jail sentence for Daniel "Tate" Hausman, 32, and Amy Little, 50, both of New York, and Yolanda Hippensteele, 30, of California. All were paid staff members for Vote Today Ohio, an independent get-out-the-vote organization supporting the Democratic presidential candidate.The elections board has sent the prosecutor the names of 55 other voters suspected of fraud in the November 2008 election.
asknot
04-26-09 11:45 PM »Report Abuse	Roland, go to your cabin in the woods and relax for a bit. You didn;t rip on Bush even after 8 years of pure failure. Give Obama a chance. I;m pretty sure he can't do worse than what we've had to deal with. And besides, check the polls again. then check them against the republican polls of the last 8 years. ENJOY!
Roland
04-26-09 10:31 PM »Report Abuse	The marietta times polls has 43% of the people saying obama's first hundred days are "lacking". The only honorable thing for him to do is resign at this point.
RitaRude
04-26-09 10:01 PM »Report Abuse	y'all been watching Fox news waaay too much. Seems like everyone forgot what the Rs did in Ohio in '00 and '04 and tried to do in '06. Then they didn't like living with the laws THEY passed to hamper voting. Get your history straight first. ANd watch to see the Rs who get indicted from that era. ACORN & stim $$ -- more lies from you!
Crandall
04-26-09 9:00 AM »Report Abuse	Go home Jennifer. We have enough idgets here from both parties, we don't need anymore.
tingette
04-25-09 8:26 PM »Report Abuse	He (Moonshiner) is preparing to be roasted.
smokehouse
04-25-09 7:59 PM »Report Abuse	I think the democrats got started gaining in Marietta and Washington County when Joe Matthews was elected mayor. I guess the current mayor didn't make the dinner. Cost was too much maybe.
hockeypuck
04-25-09 3:04 PM »Report Abuse	Since Strickland became Governor, how has he helped? Seems like less of everything since he went in office.
GOTOSCHOOL
04-25-09 1:43 PM »Report Abuse	Man- you people are on a roll with this one...
Roland
04-25-09 12:32 PM »Report Abuse	Democrat female senator for Ohio? Why not, Caligula made his horse a senator and this would just be the back half of that.
cincyreds45212
04-25-09 12:16 PM »Report Abuse	cavsfan, thats pretyy funny...i can't believe Varner said that..lol.what a toolbag
cincyreds45212
04-25-09 12:15 PM »Report Abuse	brunner is a piece of trash, she tried to pass voting laws that she knows only benefits democrats, elected officials should want fair elections that benefit all ppl, not just what she believes...i pray ohio is smart enough not to vote her in again
Cavsfan
04-25-09 11:43 AM »Report Abuse	""We also have a new Democrat county commissioner (Cora Marshall)," Varner added. "And I honestly believe a change began in Washington County when Ted Strickland took office. People began to understand you can be intelligent, approachable, and a Democrat." What a joke and an insult to the people of Washington County.
Contrarian
04-25-09 10:14 AM »Report Abuse	Brunner is Clintonesque in her ability to lie convincingly. She was George Soros' handpicked Sec. of State; now ACORN has all the stimulus dollars needed to make sure that what's stolen remains in the hands of well-heeled thieves.
hockeypuck
04-25-09 9:36 AM »Report Abuse	Oh Boy! More politicians coming to Marietta! Just think of all the lies, deceptions, and run-arounds we have to look forward to!

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