Ohio’s Attorney General has received referrals for the prosecution of more than 100 non-citizens who were found to be registered to vote in the state. The referrals came after an investigation revealed that these individuals had registered despite not being eligible to vote as non-citizens. The Ohio Secretary of State’s office flagged the discrepancies and passed the information to the Attorney General’s office for further action.
The investigation began as part of an ongoing effort by Ohio officials to ensure the integrity of the state’s voter rolls. The Secretary of State’s office conducted a routine review of voter registration records, cross-referencing them with data from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, which highlighted the issue. The review identified 104 non-citizens who were registered to vote, although there is no evidence that any of them actually cast a ballot.
Ohio law requires voters to be U.S. citizens, and knowingly registering to vote as a non-citizen is a violation of state law. The cases have been referred to the Attorney General’s office, which will determine whether to pursue criminal charges against the individuals involved. If convicted, the offenders could face fines and other penalties.
“Election integrity is a top priority for our office, and we take these violations very seriously,” the Ohio Secretary of State said in a statement. “It is essential that only eligible citizens participate in our elections, and we will continue to work diligently to protect the sanctity of the vote.”
The referrals come as part of a broader push by Ohio officials to prevent voter fraud and ensure that only eligible voters are on the rolls. Critics, however, argue that the emphasis on voter fraud, particularly cases involving non-citizens, may be overstated and could potentially discourage legitimate voters from participating.
In response to these concerns, the Secretary of State emphasized that the investigation was conducted with care to avoid any impact on lawful voters. “Our goal is to maintain the accuracy of our voter rolls while protecting the rights of eligible voters,” the statement added.
The situation in Ohio reflects ongoing national debates over voter eligibility and election security, with different states taking varying approaches to address these issues. As Ohio moves forward with potential prosecutions, the outcome could set a precedent for how similar cases are handled in the future.