GOP takes up cause of election reform [Ohio]

toledoblade ^ | December 11, 2005 | JIM PROVANCE

[ncountylee]

COLUMBUS - A month after voters soundly rejected sweeping changes to Ohio's election system largely pushed by Democrats, Republicans are poised this week to enact their own idea of reform.

Voters would be forced for the first time to show some form of identification before casting a ballot. It will become tougher to get petition-driven issues on the ballot, and caps will be enacted for the first time on how much county and municipal officials may accept in campaign contributions from employees.

"These are much more modest changes, but I was surprised the Republicans wanted to pursue further election reform given the solid rejection of the [Reform Ohio Now proposals]," said John Green, director of the Ray C. Bliss Institute for Applied Politics at the University of Akron.

The debate further demonstrated the split between Democrats and Republicans on what reforms they believe are needed, and again exposed a nerve in the battle between Republican titans running for governor next year.

The Senate and House may forward it to Gov. Bob Taft before recessing for the holidays on Wednesday. Taft spokesman Mark Rickel said the governor would sign it in its current form.

[ncountylee]

Ohio would join 22 other states, including neighboring Indiana and Kentucky, in passing some form of identification requirement going beyond what the federal Help America Vote Act requires for first-timer voters in federal elections.

22 states? Should be all 50 states.

[Terein]

Perhaps the link is tangled? It is not working for me.

Interesting subject...

[manwiththehands]

Something has to be done in Ohio. Our system currently heavily favors DemocRats: the dead, frauds, crack addicts and voting more than once.

We rejected Soros/Moveon.org-sponsored "solutions". The Repubics are still the majority here and I like their proposals.

But I still like the purple finger the best ...

[ncountylee]

Problem seems to be at site. I had to try 3 times.

[Balding_Eagle]

Slowly, slowly, election reforms are happening all over the country.

With honest elections, the Liberals are the walking dead.

[Columbine]

Here's the correct link.

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051211/NEWS24/512110352