Ohio’s Voter Purge Faces Criticism for Targeting Eligible Voters

Ohio’s Voter Purge Raises Concerns About Election Integrity and Voter Suppression

In a recent move, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has removed hundreds of thousands of voters from the state’s rolls, asserting that the action is crucial for maintaining “election integrity.” However, critics argue that Ohio’s safeguards against improperly purging eligible voters are insufficient.

Frank LaRose, while emphasizing the importance of voter roll maintenance, acknowledges that fraudulent voting is nearly non-existent in Ohio. His data from the last presidential election indicates only 0.0005% of voting was “potentially illegal.”

Routine updates to voter rolls are common among election officials, but Ohio’s approach has sparked controversy. A report from the American Bar Association in 2020 highlighted that Ohio’s practices disproportionately affect minority voters, who are more likely to be removed from the rolls.

According to a study conducted last year by Dēmos, a progressive think tank, Ohio ranks poorly among ten states for its voter purge practices. The study criticized the state for making it unnecessarily difficult for voters to remain registered, citing issues such as purging due to inactivity and lack of notice for those removed due to alleged felony convictions or mental incapacities.

Dēmos, which has previously challenged LaRose’s purging methods, noted that Ohio’s procedures might lead to the improper removal of eligible voters. Roni Druks, senior counsel at Dēmos, differentiates between regular voter list maintenance and more aggressive purges like those seen in Ohio.

“Voter purges occur when election officials engage in practices like Ohio does that essentially result in the removal of otherwise qualified voters from the state voter rolls,” Druks stated. She emphasized that not participating in elections should not disqualify voters, pointing out that “being apathetic about our political process is not a voter disqualification.”

The “use it or lose it” strategy, applied by Ohio and a few other states, was criticized by the American Bar Association in 2020 as potentially unconstitutional. This approach removes voters for not participating in consecutive elections and not responding to confirmation letters.

In 2019, LaRose’s office identified 235,000 voters for removal, but errors were found, with about 40,000 eligible voters mistakenly included, according to the New York Times.

The Bar Association’s 2020 report noted a correlation between irregular voting patterns and lower socioeconomic status, as well as racial minority membership. These groups typically support the Democratic Party, while LaRose is affiliated with the Republican Party.