RandySF
RandySF's JournalNew Ohio Election Integrity Commission begins to take shape
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has tapped leadership for the new Ohio Election Integrity Commission. As part of last summer’s budget, state lawmakers axed the state’s existing independent campaign watchdog and replaced it with a new office under the secretary’s control.
As of Jan. 1, the Ohio Elections Commission hands the reins to the Ohio Election Integrity Commission. The board’s membership shrinks from seven to five, and instead of a bipartisan panel selecting a nonpartisan colleague, all commissioners will be chosen by state leaders.
To start, former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Terrence O’Donnell will lead the commission on an interim basis, after which former U.S. Attorney D. Michael Crites will take over. Crites previously chaired the Ohio Elections Commission after getting appointed to the panel by Gov. Jon Kasich.
Under existing law, Crites couldn’t serve on the new commission immediately because he’s already part of a different state board. Gov. Mike DeWine signed legislation lifting that restriction in December, but it won’t take effect until March.
https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/12/30/new-ohio-election-integrity-commission-begins-to-take-shape/
Your vote counts: These northwest Ohio contests in the November 2025 election came down to a handful of votes
Fulton County
Wauseon City Council: 5 votes
Swanton Village Council: 6 votes
Lucas County
Maumee City Council: 11 votes
Ottawa County
Harris Township Trustee: 1 vote
Wood County
Bloomdale Village Council: 1 vote
Wyandot County
2.5 mill additional levy for Harpster Village: 2 votes
https://www.wtol.com/article/news/politics/elections/close-contests-in-2025-november-election-post-election-audit-northwest-ohio-secretary-of-state-frank-larose/512-bb4d2362-9e87-461d-98c9-14fc5adb3975
Baltimore's election warehouse has been a safety and security risk for years
At the end of a cluttered path, past the hundreds of poll books plugged into an electrical system that’s a code violation, sit the ballots. The sheets, thousands stacked haphazardly on a wood pallet, are the last vestige of the 2024 primary election.
The canted pile, cloaked in near darkness, fulfills the Baltimore City Board of Elections’ requirement to store materials for almost two years after an election — or until all legal disputes have been settled.
Feet away, chunks of concrete mingle with blue boxes marked “do not tamper.” The clods and fine dust were once part of the 1930s-era building’s roof, which has, for years, been crumbling inward. Rainwater is also a frequent invader.
This is the condition of the Baltimore City Board of Elections’ warehouse, home for the equipment, ballots and staff needed to run city elections for the last 100 years.
https://www.thebanner.com/politics-power/local-government/baltimore-election-warehouse-security-risk-UOMLB4APABHQ3BLTZR2UUVERAA/
Secretary of state to revisit ballot policy after Ketchum election lawsuit withdrawal
Former Ketchum City Council candidate Perry Boyle on Monday, Dec. 22, withdrew his lawsuit accusing the Blaine County Clerk’s Office, which oversees county elections, of improperly rotating candidate names on ballots and placing him at a disadvantage in November’s City Council election.
In one of Ketchum’s two voting precincts in November, Boyle’s name appeared first in the list of candidates. In the other precinct, it was rotated to the end, placing his name alone in a separate column from the other candidates. Boyle lost the election by 28 votes.
The stated goal of the ballot rotation rules issued by the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office, which is in charge of administering elections statewide, is to allow each candidate “to appear first on the list of candidates an approximately equal number of times across different ballot styles or election districts.”
The office in November stated that Blaine County implemented ballot rotation correctly. Only two versions of the Ketchum ballot existed because Ketchum only has two precincts.
https://www.mtexpress.com/news/ketchum/secretary-of-state-to-revisit-ballot-policy-after-ketchum-election-lawsuit-withdrawal/article_73e188eb-a3f3-4b7e-abb5-0cc41c76a573.html
OK Co. Dems demand leadership 'take accountability' for primary election error
OKLAHOMA COUNTY — The Oklahoma County Democratic Party released a statement on Monday addressing the error in filing for the state’s primary elections with the Oklahoma State Election Board.
The filing error does not allow for Oklahomans who are registered as Independent to vote in any upcoming primary and runoff elections. There are 488,000 registered Independents in the State of Oklahoma.
In the statement issued by the Oklahoma County Democratic Party, the group expressed its regret and is asking for state leadership’s help in correcting this mistake.
“We deeply regret this administrative oversight and the impact it has on Oklahoma’s independent voters. This error is unfortunate and we call on staff and state leadership to take real accountability,” reads the statement, in part.
https://www.fox23.com/news/ok-co-dems-demand-leadership-take-accountability-for-primary-election-error/article_2a37fc65-ec4d-4cc5-aca1-fe74d5573769.html
Dozens of miscounted ballots reported in Santa Clara County November election
SANTA CLARA COUNTY, Calif. (KRON) — At least several batches of ballots cast in the November special election were miscounted during Santa Clara County’s count, according to the Registrar of Voters Office. The Secretary of State and Santa Clara County said the results were still accurate and blame tabulation software for the hiccup.
The actual number of ballots miscounted is disputed by the county and a former employee who worked on tabulation, but all tell KRON4 News the end result was accurate after staff recounted the ballots.
Santa Clara County Registrar of Voters Matt Moreles said Monday the software issue was found in November during a quality control count of the ballots already put through a counting machine.
“We determined there was a software issue that was, in a small number of circumstances, allowing the ballots to get missed and not counted,” Moreles said. “This is something we were catching in real time.”
https://www.kron4.com/news/politics/dozens-of-miscounted-ballots-reported-in-santa-clara-county-november-election/
Harris County elections officials find more than 100 voter registrations illegally tied to P.O. boxes
The Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector and Voter Registrar's Office has found more than 100 voter registrations linked to private post office boxes, in violation of state elections law, and the Texas Secretary of State has asked the office to review an additional 126 addresses.
The secretary of state began investigating after state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, a Houston Republican, filed a complaint earlier this year. His office identified voters whose home addresses were registered at UPS locations on Westheimer Road and Waugh Drive, in violation of legislation he authored.
"No one lives in a P.O. Box, and Texans cannot legally register to vote from one," Bettencourt said in a Monday statement in response to the investigation's findings. "It's the law, and it's been the law for four years in statute."
In response to Bettencourt's November complaint, Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson threatened potential state oversight of elections in Harris County, where there were more than 2.6 million registered voters as of November 2024. Texas’ most populous county has become a Democratic stronghold in recent years, and its elections have come under scrutiny by the state’s Republican leaders, who have passed laws regulating how the county runs its elections.
https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/voting/2025/12/30/539731/po-box-voter-registration-harris-county-election-texas-secretary-of-state/
Mason City prepares for a potential special election to fill First Ward City Council seat
MASON CITY, Iowa — Mayor-elect, John Lee, will assume office on Thursday, Jan. 1, and he says one of his first priorities will be addressing his previous position as the city council representative for the Mason City's first ward.
Lee says that during his first city council meeting as mayor on January 6, the council will vote on whether to hold a special election to fill the seat.
Both Lee and City Administrator Aaron Burnett, have expressed a preference for the decision to be made through an election, but acknowledged other options.
"We'll see how many people are interested, but that's something the city council will have to decide for themselves," Lee said. "They could appoint, if people came forward or they can call for re-election."
https://www.kimt.com/news/mason-city-prepares-for-a-potential-special-election-to-fill-first-ward-city-council-seat/article_e3b6d131-194b-420a-b5af-592d78b837c0.html
Wisconsin party chairs outline strategies for 2026 midterm elections
MADISON, Wis. (Gray) - Wisconsin’s Republican and Democratic party chairs are preparing for what they expect to be highly competitive 2026 midterm elections, with both sides agreeing voter turnout will be crucial in the battleground state.
The race for governor to replace retiring Gov. Tony Evers (D) will be the state’s biggest statewide race in 2026. Wisconsin GOP Chair Brian Schimming criticized the Democratic primary field, which currently includes nine candidates, compared to three Republican candidates.
“On their side, they can’t seem to stop people from running,” Schimming said.
Democratic Chair Devin Remiker defended the large field as beneficial for the party.
https://www.wmtv15news.com/2025/12/31/wisconsin-party-chairs-outline-strategies-2026-midterm-elections/
3 seats, 4 winners: Court orders invalidation of election certificate for West Hazleton Council
WILKES-BARRE — A panel of three judges in the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas on Tuesday directed Luzerne County’s Bureau of Elections to invalidate the election certificate issued to Bruce Hunsinger indicating he won a four-year term on West Hazleton Council when there were only three seats available, due to a “clerical error” by the borough.
This will not change or de-certify the results of the November 2025 municipal election. All results of that election remain valid.
Instead, it will invalidate the certification issued to Hunsinger, who was incorrectly identified as a winner by the election bureau due to what was described as a “clerical error” made by West Hazleton Borough Manager Jim Schweitzer.
The decision was rendered by the Hon. Lesa S. Gelb, Hon. Richard M. Hughes III, and Hon. Tina Polachek Gartley of the Court of Common Pleas during a hearing on Tuesday at the Luzerne County Courthouse regarding a civil complaint brought against Husinger and the election bureau by West Hazleton and Borough Council Vice President Thom Verrastro.
https://www.timesleader.com/news/1728624/3-seats-4-winners-court-orders-invalidation-of-election-certificate-for-west-hazleton-council
Profile Information
Gender: MaleHometown: Detroit Area, MI
Home country: USA
Current location: San Francisco, CA
Member since: Wed Oct 29, 2008, 01:53 PM
Number of posts: 80,936