Ohio removes people who are not citizens from voter rolls and asks Biden administration for data before 2024 election.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose took a decisive step on Tuesday by ordering the state’s voter rolls to be purged of “non-citizens” after an unsettling discovery. An investigation by Ohio’s Public Integrity Division revealed that more than 100 Ohio residents were registered to vote despite lacking U.S. citizenship. This finding led to LaRose taking action to ensure the integrity of the state’s voter rolls.

The investigation was initiated after data analysis from the state’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles revealed 137 individuals who were registered to vote despite confirming twice that they were not U.S. citizens. Ohio law mandates that individuals must confirm their lack of citizenship to the BMV on two separate occasions before they can be removed from the voter rolls. Additionally, they must have updated their voter registration or voted between these two confirmations.

While the discovery of improper voter registration may result in prosecution for some individuals, LaRose emphasized that not all instances are necessarily criminal. He acknowledged that there may be cases where individuals unintentionally submitted registration forms due to communication barriers or honest mistakes. LaRose stressed the importance of assisting such individuals in correcting their registration status to avoid inadvertently committing an illegal act that could lead to serious consequences.

Moreover, LaRose’s office indicated that there could be more non-citizens registered to vote than initially uncovered in the investigation. To address this issue comprehensively, Ohio is urging President Biden’s administration to grant access to various extensive sources of citizenship data. These sources include the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ SAVE database, which contains valuable information on individuals entering the country.

In addition to the SAVE database, LaRose’s office is seeking access to citizenship data from agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security, the Social Security Administration, and federal district court records that identify individuals disqualified from jury service due to a lack of U.S. citizenship.

LaRose’s proactive approach in ensuring the accuracy of Ohio’s voter rolls aims to set a standard for other states with Republican leadership. As the vice chairman of the Republican Secretaries of State Committee, LaRose hopes to demonstrate Ohio’s commitment to electoral integrity as a model for other GOP-led states.

Reflecting on his role within the Republican Party, LaRose highlighted the significance of having principled Republican leaders in positions of authority, particularly with national liberal groups focusing on secretary of state races in the coming years. His dedication to upholding the standards of fair and lawful elections underscores the importance of vigilant oversight in maintaining the integrity of the democratic process.