Amidst the ongoing national debate about election integrity, Secretary of State Frank LaRose of Ohio is taking decisive steps to ensure that only U.S. citizens participate in the state’s electoral process. Following Ohio’s recent passage of a constitutional amendment banning noncitizen voting, LaRose has announced the removal of 137 noncitizens from the voter registration rolls. This move underscores the state’s commitment to uphold the sanctity of the vote and the integrity of its elections.
The review, conducted by the Secretary of State’s Public Integrity Division and the Office of Data Analytics and Archives, uncovered 137 individuals on Ohio’s voter registration lists whose noncitizen status had been confirmed twice. LaRose’s directive to remove these individuals is a clear indication of Ohio’s rigorous approach to maintaining clean voter rolls. In his press release, LaRose emphasized his commitment to the state constitution and the legislature’s explicit task of ensuring that only eligible citizens can register and vote in Ohio.
The Secretary of State also recognized that some of these incorrect registrations may stem from honest mistakes. LaRose acknowledged that well-meaning individuals, possibly hindered by communication barriers, might have accidentally submitted registration forms. He stressed the importance of rectifying these errors to prevent accidental registrations from escalating into illegal votes, which could result in severe consequences such as felony convictions or deportations.
To ensure the accuracy of the state’s voter rolls, LaRose has directed Ohio’s 88 county boards of elections to initiate a confirmation and removal process for noncitizens. Additionally, his office will conduct an annual review of its voter registration database to identify individuals who are not U.S. citizens, as mandated by state law.
This action in Ohio mirrors a broader, nationwide push by the GOP to ban noncitizen voting, especially as the 2024 elections approach. Several Republican legislatures across key swing states have placed noncitizen voting measures on the November ballot. States such as Wisconsin, Iowa, Kentucky, South Carolina, Missouri, and Idaho will vote on these measures, and North Carolina is considering adding a similar measure to its ballot. Since 2020, states like Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, and Ohio have amended their constitutions to prohibit noncitizen voting. Furthermore, the U.S. House of Representatives has taken steps to block noncitizen voting in the District of Columbia.
This legislation, including the recently introduced SAVE Act (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act), requires individuals to confirm U.S. citizenship to register for federal elections, reinforcing the GOP’s stance on election security. Republican leaders argue that expanding voter integrity measures is necessary to address the influx of illegal immigrants. They cite examples from states like Pennsylvania, where software issues allowed noncitizens to register, and note the increasing trend of noncitizens voting in local elections in cities like San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
The conversation surrounding noncitizen voting and voter integrity continues to be a pivotal issue, reflecting the GOP’s commitment to securing the electoral process. As voters prepare for the upcoming 2024 elections, these measures highlight the ongoing efforts to balance election accessibility with stringent safeguards to maintain integrity and trust in the nation’s democratic systems.
