GOP lawmakers on the Controlling Board posed nearly two dozen questions Thursday to Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner in regards to a $1.8 million funding request for voting machine tests that the Republican controlled panel deferred earlier this week.

GOP Questions Submitted to Secretary of State Brunner

Brunner proceeded Monday with the request to use the federal funds on an unbid contract despite a direct plea from Speaker Husted to hold off.

The result was a rejection of the proposal for at least two weeks and the follow-up questionnaire that Sens. John Carey (R) Steve Stivers (R) sent to her office Thursday.

“We don’t have any objections to testing voting machines to make sure they are secure and working prop-erly,” the lawmakers wrote. “However, we believe it is important for significant questions regarding objectivity, transparency and accountability to be resolved.”

Among the 23 queries is one regarding the role of the Board of Voting Machine Examiners in the process.

Another suggests concerns that the proposed contractors are biased against the devices, especially given their involvement in a California review that resulted in that state decertifying machines.

“There have also been questions raised about whether the academic you brought to Controlling Board has a preconceived notion that electronic voting machines don’t work and should be replaced,” Carey and Stivers wrote. “In addition, two of the other academics you have proposed to hire have publicly stated their concerns about the use of electronic voting machines.”

Brunner responded that she would compile responses to the questions and have them ready for a meeting planned with the lawmakers early next week.

In response to general concerns raised about the need for the study and related issues, Brunner said separately that it was “baffling” why anyone wouldn’t want such testing.

“There should not be a Republican or Democratic view to ensuring the integrity of Ohio’s voting systems. This test is about fixing our election system in Ohio so we are prepared to run a clean and efficient 2008 presidential election,” she said in a prepared statement.

“The testing of the state’s voting machines is a plan devised to allow testers from both ends of the scientific spectrum, corporate and academic, to conduct parallel, independent testing, allowing for collaboration as needed. All of this is to be managed by the Battelle Memorial Institute, an Ohio research institution with the highest reputation for integrity and objectivity.”

Brunner said she had spoken with all four legislative leaders and the governor’s office regarding the tests and there was an agreement that a bipartisan approach is necessary. She said county election board representatives would be recruited to help assess the testing and make subsequent recommendations even though the secretary of state is statutorily responsible.

“Bipartisan cooperation at all levels is essential to a process that will result in decisions that will allow the voters of the state to have confidence in their elections,” Brunner said. “I will do all necessary and possible to ensure that the state’s voting machine test is fair, unbiased and objective, providing the truth to Ohio voters, so that next year’s presidential election is a successful process for Ohio.”

Husted said earlier in the week that he had spelled out some of his concerns to the secretary during a “very good conversation on the phone,” however was unable to convince her to delay the Controlling Board request.

His suggestion stemmed from a slew of questions he had received from, members and others once Secretary Brunner’s plans became public.

“I didn’t personally have any objections but I had a lot of members and a lot of people who were calling and who were asking me questions that I couldn’t answer,” he said.

“I have no preconceived notions about this. Anytime you get into these issues, as we saw in 2000, 2004, 2006 (elections), there are always people who have concerns about voting systems, making sure they’re fair,” Husted added.

“I think it’s important to build the maximum confidence you can have with any study before you go and do it or how can you expect that the results will be respected.”

Husted said he doesn’t have “any specific biases” in terms of voting systems. “I do know, though, that we spent an awful lot of money on those machines and we should be getting it right with them,” he said.