Monday is the last day to register to vote, and public officials and political organizers are reminding already-registered Ohio residents to check their registration prior to the deadline, which is 9 p.m. in person or the end of the day online.
Secretary of State Frank LaRose removed more than 150,000 voters from the voter rolls over the summer. LaRose's office said in an August news release the removals were largely because of voter inactivity or out-of-date information, such as an old address.
But for newly naturalized American citizens living in Ohio, Rep. Munira Abdullahi (D-Columbus) said Friday it’s pertinent to check before it's too late to register again, particularly because LaRose's office also recently sent letters to tens of thousands of people requesting proof of citizen status. If that wasn't sent over, they risked removal, too.
Abdullahi sent LaRose a letter more than a month ago, she said, with questions about the process to “purge” the rolls.
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“It is now October,” Abdullahi said. “Unfortunately, we received no answer on the matter and the issues only increase in urgency.”
Non-citizens can't legally vote in Ohio, through Article V, Section 1 of the state constitution and an amendment approved by voters in 2022. But once someone becomes an American citizen, Vincent Wells—an attorney with Community Refugee & Immigration Services (CRIS)—said registering to vote might be one of their first actions following their naturalization ceremony.
“As soon as that event's over, they walk out into the hallway and there's a voter registration table,” Wells said.
LaRose spokesperson Dan Luschek said in a statement the secretary of state's office is following the law.
“We’re obligated by law to ensure that only eligible citizens can vote in Ohio’s elections,” Luschek wrote in an email. “We also want to make sure anyone who recently became a naturalized citizen can exercise their right to vote without issue and that they have the right identification when they do vote.”
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When asked why LaRose hadn’t yet answered Abdullahi’s questions, Luschek said it’s the office's busy season.
“Rep. Abdullahi will get a reply from us, as our office is certainly responsive to members of the General Assembly,” he wrote.
To check your voter registration, head here. If you're already registered and need to request a mail-in ballot, start here. Early voting starts Tuesday morning at county boards of election across Ohio.
