Ohio Secretary of State Takes Firm Stand for Election Integrity with Noncitizen Voter Roll Purge

Clear Facts

• Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose is removing hundreds of noncitizens from state voter rolls following an audit that found inaccuracies.
• There were 499 individuals registered to vote who were found to not hold US citizenship. These individuals had also confirmed their noncitizen status to the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles and this data was confirmed with the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database.
• LaRose’s office stated that those removed can submit a provisional ballot, which will be counted once citizenship is proven. Ohio law necessitates that to be dropped from the voter rolls, a person must confirm their noncitizenship to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles twice, and update their voter registration or vote between these two confirmations.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has begun the removal of hundreds of noncitizens from voter rolls in an effort to protect election integrity. This comes after the discovery of discrepancies in the state’s voter registration data during an election year audit.

The audit identified 499 individuals who, despite being registered voters, were not U.S. citizens. These individuals had also confirmed their noncitizen status with the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles. This information was corroborated with the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database, thus establishing their noncitizenship.

LaRose’s office clarified, “These individuals failed to respond to notices from the Secretary of State’s office asking that they either confirm their citizenship status or cancel their registration.”

Despite the cancellation of their registration, individuals may still cast a vote through a provisional ballot. This ballot will be counted provided proof of citizenship can be established.

LaRose emphasized his commitment to uphold the constitution. “I swore an oath to uphold the constitution of our state, and that document clearly states that only United States citizens can participate in Ohio elections,” he said. “That means 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.”

Strict protocols are in place for the removal of a person from voter rolls in Ohio. They must have declared their noncitizen status to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles on two separate occasions and either updated their voter registration or voted between the two declarations.

The recent purge follows a previous removal of 136 noncitizens from the state’s rolls earlier this year. This was the result of an internal investigation and led to a successful request for the release of federal SAVE data.

While incorrect voter registration could potentially lead to prosecution, LaRose emphasized that not all instances are criminal. His office’s Election Integrity Unit will refer cases for criminal prosecution when it’s deemed necessary.

Despite the firm actions, LaRose showed understanding towards these individuals. “I want to give these folks the benefit of the doubt and say that most of them didn’t intend to break the law,” he stated.

The audit continues and as Election Day approaches, more voter roll purges may be announced by LaRose’s office. The state has already removed nearly 155,000 registrations confirmed to be abandoned and inactive for at least four consecutive years.

In closing, LaRose underscored the dual goals of his office. “We want to make sure a mistaken registration doesn’t become an illegal vote. We also want to make sure that lawfully registered citizens can participate seamlessly in the process.”

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