County hears concerns about voting machines

TIFFIN — Tim Stechschulte of the Coalition of Concerned Voters of Ohio appeared before the Seneca County Commissioners Thursday with concerns about electronic voting machines like the ones used in Seneca County. "Our mission for two years now, we started off innocently enough to look at vulnerabilities we found in electronic voting machines," Stechschulte said. "We saw vulnerabilities in other states and know that we have those same machines here in Ohio." Stechschulte reported he and his team had been in contact with city, county and state officials, but were trying to make people aware of the issues associated with electronic machines and advocate for replacing them with hand-counted paper ballots. "We're not saying we found a problem, but if they did in other states, how do we know it's not happening here?" he said. Stechschulte later reported he had received only "cursory" responses when contacting officials about potential voter fraud issues and had had a public records request officially denied by the office of Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose for documentation detailing if and when electronic voter machines had been tested for voter integrity. Also at the meeting, Brenda and Don Kuhn discussed their experience as poll workers in a 2024 election, saying they agreed the voting process would be simpler if ballots were on paper. Stechschulte then reported voters would be able to decide to use a paper ballot during the November election. Other news April Hull, a Bettsville resident and Old Fort Board of Education member, asked the board to consider everyone involved in the closing of CR 31 and the rerouting of TR 71 at the meeting. "We don't have much left of the little village," Hull said, adding the change in roadways only benefited Carmeuse Lime and Stone, not the residents of the village. Commissioner Tony Paradiso reported work on the 2026 budget would begin in August or September and county administrator Barb Patterson reminded the board the June 19 meeting had been rescheduled to 2 p.m. June 17. The board then approved the following supplemental appropriations: • $2,000.00 from the general fund for GED supplies. • $1,000.00 from the general fund for GED equipment. • $15,000 from the general fund for GED contract services. • $3,902.00 from the county capital projects fund for jail. • $16,518.35 from the county capital projects fund for the Northwest EMS Station. • $5,000.00 from the county sewer district fund for contract services. The board also approved the following resolutions: • Approval of projects and amounts for the CDBG PY 2025 Community Development program and authorizing the current president of the board of Seneca County Commissioners to sign the application and related documents to be submitted for the county program year 2025 community development block grant program. • Approval of the community development implementation strategy. • Authorizing the Seneca County Board of Commissioners to enter into an agreement with American Driving School for driver's education services on behalf of the Seneca County Department of Job and Family Services. • Authorizing the Seneca County Board of Commissioners to enter into an agreement with E3 RX for pharmacy consulting services on behalf of the Seneca County Job and Family Services. • Authorizing the Seneca County Board of Commissioners to enter into an agreement with BKH Inc. DBA Master and Sylvania Driving School for driver's education on behalf of the Seneca County Department of Job and Family Services. • Authorizing the Seneca County Board of Commissioners to enter into an agreement with John G. Cleminshaw for appraisal services on behalf of the Seneca County Auditor. • Authorizing the Seneca County Board of Commissioners to accept the bid of 2025 Chip Seal project. • Establishing the opioid remediation grant fund on behalf of the Seneca County Sheriff. The board then voted to table a resolution authorizing the Seneca County Board of Commissioners to enter into an agreement with the city of Sandusky for non-emergency transportation services on behalf of the Seneca County Department of Job and Family Services. The next Seneca County Board of Commissioners meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday at 111 Madison St., in Tiffin.