BLADE SLICES -- COMMENTARY

Ballot's font size required by law

10/3/2012

BY TOM TROY
BLADE STAFF WRITER

Editor's note: This is an update following Tuesday's initial Blade Slices blog post about the ballot's font size.

Is the Lucas County Board of Elections trying to influence Toledo voters with big bold type and capital letters? As is so often the case, there's a reason in law why things are the way they are.

Question No. 20 on the Lucas County ballot is for a new Toledo Public Schools levy to raise $13.3 million with a levy averaging 4.9 mills for 10 years.

The lettering in the sample ballot on the Board of Elections' Web site really jumps out at you.

The Lucas County Board of Elections was implementing the Ohio Revised Code when it printed the emergency levy request for Toledo Public Schools on the ballot in large bold letters, according to Keith Cunningham, a "special master" appointed by the Ohio Secretary of State to oversee the Lucas County elections board.

ORC 5705.197 requires bold-faced type twice as large as the surrounding type for any issue seeking emergency revenue or a levy to prevent deficit spending.