2008 May 26 | Rowsey Blog

The New Wave of Election Petitions in Ohio

May 26, 2008

Thanks to the Columbus Dispatch for this article that details the way in which the citizens of Ohio will work to put initiatives on the ballot in the years to come.

The new system uses a “digital pen” that captures signatures electronically on special paper. It transmits them to a BlackBerry, which, in turn, sends the information to a computer, where the signatures and accompanying details are checked visually against a statewide voter-registration database maintained by county boards of elections.

This new system will allow petition organizers to electronically verify valid signatures.  This will prevent ballot initiatives from failing due to a lack of signatures after a review finds many to be invalid.

The company piloting this program, the Ohio Petition Co., is taking on a big contract for its first initiative.  The company will be collecting signatures to ensure that the Ohio Health Families Act, which you can read more about here, gets to be voted up or down by Ohio voters after an incompetent Ohio legistature has continued to drag its feet on this issue.

The system is adapted from PenVote, a Columbus startup company that is promoting use of the technology to replace voting machines. It uses an electronic pen about the size of a fat fountain pen. When someone writes on the paper, a miniature camera in the pen reads the handwriting in relation to tiny dots imprinted on the paper. It then transmits a signal to reproduce the handwriting on a computer screen. The pens cost about $250 each.

Do you think this is the wave of the future?

Posted by Jason Rowsey | Filed Under Ohio Government, Politics | 4 Comments 

Columbus Suburb Going Green

May 26, 2008

Westerville, a surburb on Columbus’ north side, has decided to resurrect a plan to allow city residents to buy more environmentally sound forms of energy, including wind and hydro.  The plan was passed approximately four years ago, but was never promoted because energy prices continued to increase.

According to an article in the Columbus Dispatch, the additional cost to residents of Westerville would be approximately $13 per month.

I’m a Westerville resident and would be more than happy to pay the increase.  Now this is an example of Ohio politics functioning as it should.

Posted by Jason Rowsey | Filed Under Money Matters, Ohio Government, Politics, Westerville, columbus | 3 Comments