Issue 5: Independent Election Administration
Issue 5 Certified Ballot Language
Issue 5 Ballot Board Explanation and Argument FOR
Issue 5 Ballot Board Argument AGAINST
League Explanation:
This proposal would establish a bipartisan state board of elections supervisors
as the state’s chief elections authority, a responsibility currently
held by the secretary of state. The state board of elections supervisors
would function similarly to Ohio’s county boards of elections. They
would hire a director to manage the day-to-day functions of election administration,
but the board itself would retain authority to make all final decisions
on elections matters.
League Pros:
- An independent board of elections supervisors would remove the possible taint of partisanship or conflict of interest on the part of an elected secretary of state in the administration of elections.
- Selecting, rather than electing, a state director of elections would
professionalize the elections staff, which currently is subject
to a partisan system of
patronage.
League Cons:
- The amendment wording fails to remove from the Ohio Constitution the election administration powers of the secretary of state, thereby creating a conflict within the Constitution.
- Even though the board would hire a state director, the board itself
is charged with making all election-related decisions by majority vote,
thus diffusing accountability when something goes wrong and introducing
the
possibility for partisan wrangling.
back to Ohio ballot issues