In preparation for the upcoming presidential election in November, Ohio is currently conducting an audit of registered voters. As part of this effort, hundreds of noncitizens have been removed from the state’s voting rolls.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose issued a directive on Thursday instructing county boards of elections to eliminate 499 registrations of noncitizens from the state’s voter rolls.
In a recent press release, LaRose emphasized his commitment to upholding the state’s constitution, which explicitly limits Ohio elections to United States citizens. As a result, he believes it is his duty to ensure that individuals who have not yet obtained citizenship are not participating in elections. LaRose clarified that once these individuals do become citizens, he will be the first to congratulate and welcome them to the voting process. However, for the time being, he believes it is necessary to follow the law and remove any ineligible registrations to prevent illegal voting.
As the general election on Nov. 5 approaches, Ohio is undergoing a thorough audit of its statewide voter registration database. This audit is being conducted in multiple phases to ensure comprehensive analysis.
Earlier this week, LaRose issued a directive following a review of voter records by the Secretary of State’s Public Integrity Division and Office of Data Analytics and Archives in May. The review aimed to ensure compliance with Ohio’s constitutional citizenship requirement. During the review, LaRose discovered and subsequently removed 137 illegal immigrants from the voter rolls.
LaRose revealed that Ohio has eliminated almost 155,000 voter registrations that were verified to be abandoned and inactive for four consecutive years.
The GOP has been emphasizing the possibility of noncitizen voting affecting the integrity of U.S. elections this election cycle.
Republican Senator J.D. Vance, who represents Ohio, is among the many GOP members, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), who are in favor of implementing a federal ban on noncitizen voting.
Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY) and other Democrats argue that enacting such legislation may disenfranchise American citizens, including military members stationed abroad and married women who have changed their names.
Read More:
- Meals on Wheels checks in on elderly during excessive heat in central Alabama
- Texas lawmaker Gonzáles alleges over 10,000 foreign criminals have evaded border security
