Miami County elections chair cites security worries; others say Fisher is wrong

Board of Elections has continuing dispute with county commissioners over lack of space for elections operations, storage
Miami County board of elections office clerk, Cheri Nevels hands a voter a ballot Friday, July 28, 2023 at the board of elections office in Troy. MARSHALL GORBY\STAFF

Miami County board of elections office clerk, Cheri Nevels hands a voter a ballot Friday, July 28, 2023 at the board of elections office in Troy. MARSHALL GORBY\STAFF

TROY — Miami County’s Board of Elections chairman was critical Wednesday of the lack of space being made available for elections operations by the county commissioners, after repeated discussions about the issue since at least fall 2018.

‘I am going to be flat honest … it is not secure,” Chairman Dave Fisher said of the elections operations’ home on the first floor of the 1880s county Courthouse in Troy.

“This building is not conducive to run elections anymore, and you can’t get it through the commissioners’ thick skulls that this is what has been going on. ... It is not secure. I keep getting the lip service … the ‘We are working on it,’ ” Fisher said.

Fisher made several references to security concerns. Kenny Henning, the regional representative of the Ohio Secretary of State, who was at the meeting, challenged Fisher’s claim that the space is not secure.

“At no point have I ever been notified that the Board of Elections is not in compliance with the security directives (from the Secretary of State). Everything has been compliant here,” Henning said.

The county commissioners Thursday also challenged Fisher’s statements.

Commission President Wade Westfall said, “It is an inappropriate comment for him to say that space is not secure.” The commission, he added, has not heard from the full four-member elections board about the need for more space.

Maddie Logan votes Friday, July 28, 2023 at the Miami County board of elections office in Troy. MARSHALL GORBY\STAFF

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Board representatives and commissioners have gone back and forth more than once about how much space is needed and where. The commissioners earlier this year said space on the lower level of Hobart Center for County Government a couple of blocks away was available for storage of elections equipment. Storage elsewhere would free up more space at the Courthouse for operations, they said.

The commissioners also said they were willing to provide a new home for election operations on the first floor of that building once the county Department of Development moves to its new location in the new county One Stop Shop/Commerce Center being constructed in Troy. That building, to house motor vehicle-related offices along with the development department, is behind schedule for completion but expected to be done this fall.

“There is space available immediately at the Hobart Center for storage. There is nothing available (for offices) at this time until the Department of Development moves out,” Westfall said.

The need for more space was stressed as early as 2018 by Fisher as the county prepared for new voting equipment. The concerns are intensified as the presidential election nears in 2024, he said.

County BOE Director Laura Bruns and Deputy Director Ian Ridgeway said some tasks will take longer because of a lack of dedicated space for various election preparations/voting at the office. Some of the space on the Courthouse first floor used during the 2020 presidential election is no longer available because it has been dedicated for other uses such as the Human Resources Department offices.

“We will get the job done with the space we have,” Ridgeway said.

Commissioner Ted Mercer noted that voting has taken place at the Courthouse for decades. The commissioners said the intent is to provide the space. “It is not just moving at their pace,” Mercer said.

The commissioners directed Michael Clarey, their chief administrative officer, to provide a reply to the board of elections. He also was asked to work with professionals to provide concepts on how the development department space eventually could be used by the elections offices.

Contact this contributing writer at nancykburr@aol.com

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