This past Tuesday brought an example of decisive action taken by our leaders to uphold the rule of law. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose took a stand for the integrity of our elections by directing the purge of ‘non-citizens’ from the state’s voter registration records, in the wake of an investigation revealing over 100 illegal immigrants had made their way onto the rolls.
The probe was carried out by the Public Integrity Division in Ohio, leading to the discovery of 137 non-citizens registered to vote. This, despite the fact that these individuals had twice confirmed their non-citizen status with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles in accordance with the law.
LaRose drew attention to the clear mandate expressed by the citizens of Ohio, who passed a constitutional amendment emphasizing the right to vote as a privilege reserved strictly for U.S. citizens. He declared that his role as Secretary of State carries the obligation to honor the constitution and the explicit directive from state lawmakers to verify the eligibility of all registered voters.
In a public statement from his office, LaRose outlined the action plan to address this issue. All non-citizens identified will receive at least two written letters requesting confirmation of their citizenship status, or alternatively, they can opt to revoke their voter registration.
Should they fail to respond to these communications, their registrations will be cancelled by the county election boards. This was confirmed by a representative from LaRose’s office to Fox News Digital, with a clear assertion that lack of response would ultimately subject those individuals to removal from the state’s voter rolls.
Further steps have been proposed by LaRose’s office to authenticate the citizenship status of voters. A formal request has been submitted to the Biden administration for access to several federal databases that could be instrumental in this verification process.
Included in these resources are the SAVE database from the U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, records from the Department of Homeland Security, data from the Social Security Administration, and federal court logs.
In LaRose’s commentary regarding this request, he elaborated that his office is also dedicated to double-checking the citizenship status of those suspected non-citizens flagged by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. The need for these additional checks is to ensure that the registered voter still maintains their non-citizen status.
LaRose’s commitment to transparency was evident when he itemized the data sources requested from the federal government: the SAVE database for verifying citizenship, records from the DHS and SSA that could help pinpoint citizenship identity, and district court records that indicate the disqualification of individuals from jury service due to non-citizenship.
LaRose tempered his firm stance with understanding and a nod to compassion. He acknowledged that some among the non-citizen registrants were likely well-intentioned people who stumbled upon erroneous registration due to a language barrier or misunderstanding.
His message extended a helping hand to these individuals, reinforcing that these minor errors in registration do not have to escalate into major legal complications. Proper guidance and clear communication can help these individuals avoid the serious repercussions of accidentally casting an illegal vote, such as a felony conviction or possible deportation.
In conclusion, this significant move by Frank LaRose and the state of Ohio is a bold testament to the need for enforcement of the law and the protection of the sanctity and integrity of our electoral process. It serves as a reminder that each vote counts and our democratic institutions must be safeguarded.
It is hoped this action serves as a precedent for other states, demonstrating the urgent need to protect our electoral system and the essential role vigilance plays in assuring only eligible American citizens can exercise their right to vote.
