Dennis Leone to Nick Treneff: Six questions but only one answer back; where are the other five?

From: Dennis Leone [mailto:dennisleone@roadrunner.com]
Sent: Monday, April 08, 2013 7:42 PM
To: Treneff, Nick; 'Nadine McIlwain'; McGreevy, James; Stein, Bob
Cc: Board; Nehf, Mike; Neville, Bill
Subject: Retirement Board Election 

The basic questions that need to be answered are these:

1. Why does the official ballot language say “Select Two Candidates.”    The attached statement does not address this satisfactorily.    How did this happen?  The wording certainly does not appear to be accidental. 

2. Did the STRS Board approve the ballot language in advance?  

3. Does STRS not care that huge numbers of retirees assumed -- by the “Select Two Candidates” command -- that they needed to vote for 2 people in order for their ballot to be valid.  In other words, many made a second selection because they wanted their first selection to be valid.  Do you not believe this?    

4.  If placing an “X” in the box is okay, why did the instructions state that the entire box needed to filled in?  

5. Why did the ballot instructions twice say “Check the name of the candidates of your choice” instead of “Check the name of the candidate(s) of your choice.”

6. The ballot instructions say “For election customer service, call toll-free 1-800-218-4026.”  When I called the board-hired company today, the supervisor who could answer the above questions refused to talk with me.  Why were retirees invited to call customer service, then not given any answers?  The person answering the phone there today promised me I would receive a return call from the supervisor TODAY.  I did not.

Damon Asbury admitted the truth in 2004 when he said publicly: “The STRS Board and the STRS Staff have lost touch with the membership.”  You have done the same in 2013 with an election that has many flaws………and I am not hearing one single admission on the part of the board or the staff that the process should have been better.    Have can you possibly conclude that it was okay for the official ballot language read “Select Two Candidates?” 

Please answer my 6 questions above. 

Dennis Leone

From: Treneff, Nick [mailto:TreneffN@strsoh.org]
Sent: Thursday, April 11, 2013 4:56 PM
To: Dennis Leone; 'Nadine McIlwain'; McGreevy, James; Stein, Bob
Cc: Board; Nehf, Mike; Neville, Bill
Subject: RE: Retirement Board Election  

Dr. Leone, 
Please see the attached message [below] in response to your questions.  If I can be of further assistance, please let me know. 

Regards, Nick Treneff  

Attached message:

April 11, 2013  

Dr. Leone, 

I am writing in response to questions you sent about the Retirement Board election. As I expressed to you in our telephone conversation, STRS Ohio believes that the instructions are clear and correct as presented in the voting materials. The Retirement Board did not approve the ballot language in advance. 

STRS Ohio has confirmed with VR Election Services that each and every ballot cast is read electronically and inspected twice visually to ensure that ballots are correctly tabulated. The instructions for completing a paper ballot are provided to make the ballots easier to read electronically. 

We have also confirmed that VR Election Services’ call center is available to assist STRS Ohio members seeking technical support. 

I believe this addresses the questions from your email. If I can be of further assistance, please feel welcome to contact me at your convenience. 

Regards, Nick Treneff
Communication Services Director
STRS Ohio

From: Dennis Leone [mailto:dennisleone@roadrunner.com]
Sent: Thursday, April 11, 2013 5:13 PM
To: 'Treneff, Nick'; 'Nadine McIlwain'; 'McGreevy, James'; 'Stein, Bob'
Cc: 'Board'; 'Nehf, Mike'; 'Neville, Bill'
Subject: RE: Retirement Board Election 

You did not really attempt to answer my questions #1, #3, #4, #5, and #6 below.   This is unbelievable.