News Intelligence Analysis
Election reform debate fierce
Blackwell spokesman, Jacobson spar over proposal
By William Hershey
Dayton Daily News
COLUMBUS | State Sen. Jeff Jacobson, R-Butler Twp., and a spokesman for Ohio Secretary of State J. Kenneth Blackwell, the state's top elections officer, tangled verbally Tuesday over a proposal to prohibit Blackwell and any future secretary of state from playing a leadership role in any political campaigns other than his or her own.
The disagreement was one of several that erupted as the Senate Rules Committee took up a bill to overhaul elections procedures.
The bill would restrict political activity by secretaries of state, require Ohio voters to show identification such as a driver's license or a copy of a current utility bill before casting their ballots and would beef up requirements for putting proposed constitutional amendments on the ballot.
Senate President Bill Harris, R-Ashland, also the rules committee chairman, said the committee would vote on the bill today and the full Senate would take it up next week. The goal is to also get final approval from the House next week before the legislature adjourns for the year, Harris said.
Carlo LoParo, Blackwell's spokesman, lashed out at Jacobson, who played a major role in crafting the bill.
"Sen. Jacobson's maneuver is expressly intended to impact the Republican gubernatorial primary in favor of his preferred candidate," LoParo said. "If he wants to impact the primary, he should go out and campaign."
Jacobson fired back at Blackwell, a 2006 Republican candidate for governor.
"I deplore him bringing politics into something that has nothing to do with it," Jacobson said. Jacobson said he was not the author of the proposal limiting the political activity of a secretary of state.
"I regret that he once again chooses to personalize something that is completely devoid of it," he said.
Jacobson supports Attorney General Jim Petro for the Republican nomination for governor. Auditor Betty Montgomery also is seeking the nomination.
Blackwell is the leader of the committee that already has qualified a tax expenditure limitation constitutional amendment for the 2006 ballot and he has made it a centerpiece of his campaign for governor.
Petro has unveiled a competing proposal to limit government spending, but it has not qualified for the ballot. Unlike Blackwell, he would not be prohibited from campaigning for his proposal if the election procedure bill passes.
As attorney general, Petro would have to approve such a proposal for fairness and accuracy before supporters could gather signatures to put it on the ballot. LoParo questioned why an attorney general, such as Petro, should not be prohibited from being involved in such campaigns as well as a secretary of state.
Sen. Kevin Coughlin, R-Cuyahoga Falls, who also helped craft the bill, said the question of the attorney general's role would be discussed today. Coughlin supports Montgomery for governor.
Rep. Kevin DeWine, R-Fairborn, sponsor of the House version of the bill, said he would rather the restriction on the secretary of state not take effect until 2007, after Blackwell leaves office, but said he didn't know if the House would insist on delaying the effective date.
Contact William Hershey at (614) 224-1608.
Bill highlights
Voters would have to show ID before they could vote.
Voters without ID could cast provisional ballots by providing
the last four digits of their Social Security number or signing
an affirmation of identification.
Supporters of proposed constitutional amendments would be required
to gather 1,000 signatures, up from the current 100, before submitting
the proposal for initial approval.
Those gathering signatures for ballot issues would be required
to provide permanent Ohio residences.
Local candidates would be prohibited from accepting contributions
from their employees.
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