Secretary of state has busy first year in office

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A new secretary of state has to get off to a good start: First, hire a staff and organize field offices around the state. Then, meet 132 lawmakers — many of them new at the job. Also, clean out the board of elections in the state’s largest county.

Oh, and change the voting systems in 57 of Ohio’s 88 counties for the second time in three years.

Jennifer Brunner certainly didn’t walk into her office after winning election as Ohio’s top elections official with her eyes glazed. But after one year on the job, she’s drawn a new portrait of Ohio’s electoral landscape — and drawn the criticism that goes with it.

For more on this story, see Tuesday’s Vindicator or vindy.com.