Ohio Sen. Frank LaRose, R-Hudson, is asking for more money to upgrade Ohio voting machines than he had originally proposed nearly a year ago. The push for better elections equipment comes as national elections officials and experts caution that outdated systems may be compromised by cyber attackers who may find weak points to enter local and state systems, though they are disconnected from each other. Originally introduced in April, LaRose has increased from $89 million to $114.5 million the amount Senate Bill 135 would provide counties that buy new voting equipment. About $10 million would be drawn from the general revenue fund and the rest financed through borrowing via bond sales.
For county boards of elections that have already purchased new equipment, the plan has called for 80 percent to be reimbursed retroactively. It also would establish a bipartisan advisory committee to oversee a state-run effort to set the standard for the next generation of voting machines then seek bids and buy them.
Secretary of State Jon Husted is urging swift passage as it would take months to buy the new machines and train local poll workers, who in Summit County began checking in voters with tablet devices last year.
“We cannot allow Ohio’s future elections to be compromised due to failing voting machines. This issue needs to be addressed now before major technical issues disrupt the integrity of our elections,” LaRose said in a statement. “Ohioans should be confident now and into the future that their vote will be cast on a secure and reliable voting machine.”
LaRose is a candidate this fall for secretary of state. His Democratic opponent, Kathleen Clyde of Kent, said she is planning to ask for funding to upgrade Ohio voting machines in the state capital budget, a biennial appropriations bill introduced this week to finance hundreds of millions of dollars in brick-and-mortar projects for publicly funded agencies, also largely through bond sales.
Despite LaRose’s bill being sponsored by two Democrats and two Republicans, Clyde called the new request for funding outside the normal state budgeting process “a blatant political maneuver for one party to score points.”
“We cannot allow Ohio’s future elections to be compromised due to failing voting machines. This issue needs to be addressed now before major technical issues disrupt the integrity of our elections,” LaRose said in a statement. “Ohioans should be confident now and into the future that their vote will be cast on a secure and reliable voting machine.”
LaRose is a candidate this fall for secretary of state. His Democratic opponent, Kathleen Clyde of Kent, said she is planning to ask for funding to upgrade Ohio voting machines in the state capital budget, a biennial appropriations bill introduced this week to finance hundreds of millions of dollars in brick-and-mortar projects for publicly funded agencies, also largely through bond sales.
Despite LaRose’s bill being sponsored by two Democrats and two Republicans, Clyde called the new request for funding outside the normal state budgeting process “a blatant political maneuver for one party to score points.”
Full Article: Local lawmaker encourages more spending to safeguard Ohio elections.
