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Brunner not distracted by controversies

Ohio Secretary of State wants more women in powerful political positions

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Photos: Brunner meets with area Dems

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By Matt Sanctis, Staff Writer Updated 8:02 AM Friday, April 24, 2009

URBANA — Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner is focused on her upcoming senate bid rather than worrying about the controversies surrounding the redistricting of the state’s legislative boundaries.

Brunner, a former South Charleston resident, spoke with area Democrats and elected officials Thursday, April 23, as the keynote speaker at the Champaign County Democratic Spring Dinner. She touched on issues that ranged from her bid for the U.S. Senate to a national award she won for changing Ohio’s voting system.

She is expected to face fellow Democrat Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher in a 2010 primary bid for the U.S. Senate. The seat will be open with the retirement of Republican Sen. George Voinovich.

The decision to run has been controversial at times, because as secretary of state, Brunner would hold a seat on the Apportionment Board, that will redraw legislative districts after the next census. Democrats currently control the board, and there has been some concern within the party that they could lose control if the secretary of state job is won by a Republican.

Despite the controversy, Brunner believes she would be a good fit for the Senate seat, and that Democrats can still win the secretary of state position with another candidate. She also argued there are too few women in powerful political positions in Ohio.

“I don’t think there has to be a quota on the number of women in public office,” said Brunner, a recipient of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for calling for the replacement of electronic voting systems and replacing them with paper ballots and optical scan technology. She argued while some of her decisions in office were controversial, it led to an improved voting system overall.

Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0355 or msanctis@coxohio.com.

Jennifer Brunner

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