County seeks secure elections

After hearing about Russian attempts to influence our elections I know many of us are feeling like our elections are vulnerable. It gets worse when we hear to from national experts that we are likely see the same cyberattacks and propaganda campaigns in 2018 and that a lawsuit is currently at the Supreme Court of the United States to determine whether the votes of thousands of purged voters will be counted.

As Americans, our right to vote is a privilege and a responsibility. We need to take that responsibility seriously, ensure that our elections are free and fair, and safeguard our voting system — while working to make voting more accessible so so all eligible citizens can make their voice heard.

As Franklin County recorder and a member of the Franklin County Data Processing Board, I take these issues very seriously. There is more we need to do to make our elections more secure.

The Data Processing Board recently voted to approve a $110,000 project for the Franklin County Board of Elections to upgrade and enhance the security of our voter-registration software. Ed Leonard, a tremendous public servant, and his team are working hard every day to protect the integrity of our elections. But, we will need additional resources from the state so that they can continue their great work.

Additionally, a proposed automatic voter registration would help to clean up the voter rolls and keep information more secure. Automatic voter registration, like the bill in the Ohio House called the Registration Modernization Act, makes common-sense updates so Ohioans can conveniently register, vote and have their voices heard, while at the same time safeguarding our election system.

Investments in voting technology, as well as the Registration Modernization Act, will protect the integrity of our elections.

Danny O’Connor Columbus