I first brought the matter of reforming Ohio’s antiquated notary statutes to the attention of Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner during her campaign for office some 3 1/2 years ago, and spoke with both her and her Chief of Staff about this pressing need in mid-2007.

The Chief of Staff left office late in 2009, and events have proceeded at a glacial pace since then. After several requests, I was finally granted an audience with SOS staff on March 12. I provided them with an updated listing of recommended reforms and, while they wholeheartedly agreed with the concepts, they essentially said there was nothing they could do this term. As they've had our proposals for over three years, those comments were very disappointing. The outside workgroup that was to be assembled to bring real-world notary perspectives to the reform discussions never happened. There are still some no-brainer reforms that could be enacted this term (such as barring felons from holding a notary commission, and permitting SOS staff to address questions from the notaries that haven't been trained). In late July, at the National Secretaries of State Conference in Providence, RI, I spoke with #2 man Mike Rankin, and his assistant Mike Stinziano. They are both relatively new faces in the SOS office, and Mr. Rankin asked to meet with me soon to see what they might be able to reasonably do in the time remaining. I obviously accepted.

So far in the notary arena, Secretary Brunner's legacy has amounted to a large zero on her administration's scorecard. I had high hopes when she took office, but to date, she has missed a great opportunity to help Ohio's public. I'm hopeful that with Mr. Rankin's support, we can still salvage something to build upon with the next SOS occupant.

OSN will be focusing on the 2010 SOS candidates, and hold them accountable to Ohio's 225,000 notaries who, by the way, do vote. We will be talking with the candidates and ensuring they are aware of our positions for reform of Ohio's antiquated system, currently a breeding ground for incompetence and potential fraudulent acts.

So it is all the more essential for OSN members to communicate their own experiences, concerns, and suggestions to OSN. This SOS election will affect all of us and our ability to serve the citizens of Ohio. Please become an OSN member and get involved!

Again, please email your thoughts to me at OSN, and make your voice heard.  As the governing body for all Ohio notaries, it is vitally important that the SOS candidates hear collective opinions from members of Ohio’s only professional notary association. Some of you will likely be asked to participate even more fully during the process, with additional correspondence to the SOS or your legislators, and perhaps the opportunity to testify before the General Assembly as the new laws are crafted and debated.