Schedule of Panels


January 16th, 2007, Verne Riffe Center, 31st floor, Conference Center, North Room

Reception, by invitation only (6:00pm-)
- Welcome

Professor Vernon Sykes, Symposium Chair. Department of Political Science and Director, Columbus Program and Intergovernmental Issues. Kent State University

Ohio Governor Ted Strickland (Invited)

- Honorary Award

Presented by
Professor John Logue, Department of Political Science, Kent State University
Professor Caroline Tolbert, Department of Political Science, University of Iowa

Recipient
Emeriti Professor Kathleen Barber, Department of Political Science, John Carroll University. Author of Proportional Representation and Election Reform in Ohio and A Right to Representation: Proportional Election Systems for the Twenty-first Century.

January 17th, 2007 Riffe Center, Columbus

AM Panels

Welcome (8:00-8:15AM)

Professor Vernon Sykes, Symposium Chair. Department of Political Science and Director, Columbus Program and Intergovernmental Issues. Kent State University

Professor John Logue, Chair, Department of Political Science, Kent State University

Panel One (8:15-10:15AM)
State Election Reforms within the System

Chair: Professor David Magleby, Department of Political Science, Brigham Young University

Panelists

Professor Beth Rosenson, Department of Political Science, University of Florida—ethics and conflict of interest laws

Professor Kenneth Mayer, Department of Political Science, Unviersity of Wisconsin, Madison— campaign finance reforms, public financing, discourse

Paul Gronke, Department of Political Science, Reed College—early voting

Professor Thad Hall, Department of Political Science, University of Utah—election administration, electronic and Internet voting

Professor Lonna Atkeson, Department of Political Science, University of New Mexico and Professor Kyle Saunders, Department of Political Science, Colorado State University—election administration.

Break (10:15-10:30AM) Coffee

Panel Two (10:30AM-12:30PM)
Structural Reforms of State Election Systems

Chair: Professor Bruce Cain, Department of Political Science, University of California, Berkeley.

Panelists

Professor Michael McDonald, Department of Public and International Affairs, George Mason University—legislative redistricting

Professor Christopher Mooney, Department of Political Science, University of Illinois, Springfield and editor State Politics and Policy Quarterly—legislative term limits

Professor Barry Burden, Department of Political Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison—ballot access, third parties, multiple parties

Professor Christopher Cooper, Department of Political Science, Western Carolina University—multimember districts.

Professor Daniel Smith, Department of Political Science, University of Florida—direct democracy/ initiatives and referenda

Lunch (12:30-1:45PM)

Introduction: Professor Todd Donovan, Department of Political Science, Western Washington University

Rob Richie, Director, Fairvote.org: electoral college reform/National Popular Vote Plan, instant run-off elections and other reforms, including early voter registration at 16 years of age.

PM Panels

Panel Three (1:45-3:00PM)
Perspectives from State Administrative Leaders

Chair: Professor Erin O’Brien, Department of Political Science, Kent State University

Tony W. Bledsoe, Legislative Inspector General, Office of the Legislative Inspector General

David Freel, Executive Director of the Ohio Ethics Commission

Philip C. Richter, Executive Director of the Ohio Elections Commission, Elc.ohio.gov

Thomas P. Charles, Inspector General, Watchdog.ohio.gov

Break (3:00-3:15PM)

Panel Four (3:15-4:30PM)
Perspectives from State Elected Officials

Chair: Professor Vernon Sykes, Department of Political Science, Kent State University

Marc Dann, Attorney General of Ohio

Jennifer Brunner, the Ohio Secretary of State

Panel Five (4:30-5:30PM)
Summary and General Overview

Chair: Professor Caroline Tolbert, Department of Political Science, University of Iowa

Speakers

Professor Todd Donovan, Department of Political Science, Western Washington University.

Professor Bruce Cain, Department of Political Science and Director of the University of California Washington DC Program. University of California, Berkeley.