Ohio is taking significant steps to maintain the integrity of its voter registration rolls.
According to Fox News, Secretary of State Frank LaRose is purging hundreds of noncitizens registered to vote in Ohio following a detailed audit.
An audit revealed the names of 499 individuals registered as voters who were identified as noncitizens via the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles and confirmed through the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database. These noncitizens had been mistakenly included, raising concerns about electoral integrity.
The audit's initial findings in May resulted in the removal of 136 noncitizens from the voter registry. As a result of the continuing investigation, additional purges could be necessary as the 2024 elections draw near.
According to Frank LaRose’s office, individuals affected by the purges were sent notices to verify their citizenship status. However, the lack of response led to their removal, in compliance with Ohio law, which requires confirmation of noncitizenship twice through the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
Despite the removal, those affected will still have the opportunity to cast a provisional ballot, and these votes will be counted only if proof of citizenship is later verified.
Frank LaRose emphasizes the purpose of the purge as a measure to ensure electoral fairness and legality.
I’m duty-bound to make sure people who haven’t yet earned citizenship in this country aren’t voting. If or when they do become citizens, I’ll be the first one to congratulate them and welcome them to the franchise, but until then the law requires us to remove ineligible registrations to prevent illegal voting.
Ohio law mandates the actions taken and provides methods for those removed to restore their registration should they prove their citizenship eligibility.
Expressing his perspective on potential legal consequences for those removed, LaRose stated his intention to avoid assuming any malicious intent: "I want to give these folks the benefit of the doubt and say that most of them didn’t intend to break the law."
Frank LaRose reiterated his commitment to the rules set forth by the Ohio constitution regarding voter eligibility. Frank LaRose asserted, "I swore an oath to uphold the constitution of our state, which explicitly requires that only United States citizens can vote in Ohio election."
The comprehensive audit of voter rolls and the ongoing scrutiny signify a robust approach toward rectifying the state’s electoral rolls. Besides the removal of noncitizens, another 155,000 registrations were disqualified due to four years of inactivity, underscoring the expansive efforts to update and secure Ohio's electoral database.
With the primary elections marked on March 19, 2024, and the general election on the horizon, these audit activities are crucial for ensuring that the voting process remains transparent and fair for Ohio’s electorate.
This whole process pivots around the essential eligibility criteria, which restrict voting rights strictly to U.S. citizens as per the state's constitutional mandate. This helps preserve the sanctity of electoral participation and prevents any potential misrepresentation and illegal voting in the upcoming elections.
