I’m certain that John would have been simply flabbergasted at the outpouring of emotional response and moving tributes upon his passing — in particular from various public officials, many of whom he’d been at odds with at various times over the years.
The latest comes this morning in the form of condolences, and a very moving statement on his loss, from OH Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner via her Director of Communications, Patrick Gallaway…
Message from Ohio Secretary of State Jenifer Brunner on the passing of John Gideon:
“Our nation has lost a true hero of democracy with the passing of John Gideon. John will be remembered and honored for his skills to keep so many people engaged in the elections process. His ability to gather, relay and assess elections information from across the country was simply amazing and through his organization of Voters Unite kept so many informed on the hot-button issues that at times truly drive our work to provide elections for all Americans that are free, fair, open and honest.
The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands during challenge and controversy.” I think we all know where John stood and I salute his courage for asking the tough questions.
John will also be remembered for his dedication to veteran voters and I honor him for his service to our country in one of the most contentious of wars – Vietnam. Thank you John for your patriotism, support of an elections system that treated all as equals and your efforts to help voters from across the country. I do hope your valued work will live on, you will be missed.”
Earlier, we posted moving statements issued by CA Sec. of State Debra Bowen and former EAC Chair Rosemary Rodriguez.
Joyce McCloy continues to update her tribute page with excerpts from, and links to a host of wonderful tributes being posted from around the country. One of those tributes, worth noting here, comes from Lowell Finley, who is in a unique place to comment on the loss of John. Lowell served as the Director of VoterAction.org, a grassroots legal organization who filed lawsuits to challenge the use of electronic voting systems around the nation, including in CA, before he was named by Bowen, in 2007, as a Deputy Sec. of State.
His brief comments, offering a unique perspective from both sides of the fence — citizen activist and then public official — follow below…
John continued to be a positive influence when I became a state elections official. I learned, sometimes painfully, what it was like to be on the receiving end of John’s demands for accountability and transparency in the administration of elections.
John Gideon helped the election integrity movement keep rolling forward, like a hub from which many spokes radiated. He was constant, he was strong, he was fair to all and he had the courage of his convictions. I hope it is of some comfort to John’s family in their time of loss to know how much he meant to so many people, and how dearly we will miss him.
Lowell Finley
Sacramento, California
Now all you officials, OUTLAW all electronic vote tabulation devices!
If your tears are not crocodile tears, then stand up and prove you really cared about John by outlawing all electronic vote tabulation devices.
We the people can’t approach you, because you live in a bubble with red tape at our every turn. We have lives and work, no time to waste trying to fight every stupid thing that you pass through legal back doors!
We can’t even vote people out to hold them accountable! That’s the dirty secret.
Perhaps, you are you just saying one thing, while doing the opposite. (which it sure looks like your activities are.)
You have angered and outraged people, and drove the country into the toilet ethically and financially!
We need our officials to prosecute these looters and corruption not take are rights away at ever god damned turn. Not using time (like in dates and times), and crap legislation (HAVA, Holt bill’s etc) to unleash new voting laws which screw us.
I shall miss the wisdom of John Gideon, and the lights he shined on Ohio, a place still covered in the darkness of massive election crimes..
I feel the tears of Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner are alligator tears. In the fall of 2007 when the newly formed Ohio Election Justice Campaign requested to meet with Jennifer Brunner to discuss Ohio election problems, crimes, and the destruction of our 2004 ballots by 58 of Ohio’s 88 counties John Gideon was on the list of guests wanting to attend that meeting, as was Brad Friedman, Bev Harris, Paul Lehto, Sheri Myers, and many, many others. Jennifer Brunner repeatedly refused that meeting, thereby refusing John Gideon and people from across this nation who requested simply to address our sincere concerns with the woman who replaced Kenneth Blackwell. We wanted the crimes addressed, and the election officials who did them removed from office.
It is now 2009, and still not one election official in Ohio has been held responsible for the election crimes committed in 2004 and since then. Destruction of those protected 2004 election records continues in 2009. We’ve got the documents to prove it. Nothing has been resolved, the criminals still run the elections, still destroy the evidence, and now Brunner wants to be a US Senator. How can she be a Senator when she can’t hold rural county election officials accountable?
I’d prefer she honored John Gideon by requesting that the handwriting expert that the Ohio Attorney General has on staff, be asked to review the over 6,800 write-in ballots in the same handwriting from 2004. So far, in the over seven months since that investigation was requested, Brunner only appears to aid the cover-up. Why?
John if you can help us from the other side, give Ms. Brunner some nudges and inspiration.
Blessings to John, and may the Lord help us, we need it.
Paddy Shaffer
Director, The Ohio Election Justice Campaign