Ohio Refers 1,084 Alleged Noncitizen Voter Registrations to DOJ; 167 Said to Have Voted in Federal Elections Since 2018
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced investigators found 1,084 people who appear to have unlawfully registered to vote, referring all cases to the U.S. Department of Justice; 167 of those individuals appear to have voted in federal elections since 2018.
- 1,084 alleged noncitizen registrations flagged and referred to the DOJ; 167 allegedly cast ballots in federal contests since 2018.
- An additional 135 referrals cover double voting, voting after death, ballot harvesting and unlawful addresses.
- Matches were made via cross-checks of BMV, DHS SAVE and Social Security records; referrals now rest with federal prosecutors.
- Legal and civil-rights groups warn of false positives and potential disenfranchisement from tightened BMV verification rules.
What investigators found
Broad roll review: Ohio’s elections office says a comprehensive review compared voter files against multiple government databases and identified 1,084 people who “appear to have registered to vote unlawfully”. The office further reported that 167 of those individuals appear to have cast ballots in federal elections since 2018. All matters were referred to the U.S. Department of Justice for potential criminal review (Fox News).
Other flagged irregularities include referrals on 135 additional individuals for alleged violations:
- 99 alleged to have voted in two different states during the same federal election;
- 16 alleged to have voted twice in Ohio in the same federal election;
- 14 who appear to have voted after their date of death;
- 4 accused of ballot harvesting; and
- 2 registered at allegedly unlawful addresses.
Source for totals and breakdown: Fox News.
Methods and sources used
Investigators relied on a mix of audits and database cross-checks. The Secretary of State’s office specifically compared voter registration records against the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), the Department of Homeland Security’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) database, and Social Security Administration files. The office says those checks revealed matches that appear to indicate unlawful registration or voting; supporting documentation has been provided to federal prosecutors for evaluation (Fox News).
Legal and policy background
BMV citizenship verification: Ohio recently enacted rules requiring BMV clerks to verify citizenship before processing voter registrations. Supporters argue the rule strengthens election integrity; critics contend it can block eligible voters at BMV offices, prompting litigation challenging the policy as overly restrictive or discriminatory (Signal Cleveland).
What officials are saying
Secretary of State Frank LaRose framed the referrals as part of preserving Ohio’s “Gold Standard” of election integrity, saying investigators will pursue cases where evidence suggests violations and that the materials have been sent to the DOJ so federal prosecutors can decide next steps. “Anyone who tries to cheat the system will face serious consequences,” LaRose said in remarks reported by media (Fox News).
Advocates and critics: Proponents of stronger verification say the findings justify vigilance and prosecutions to deter fraud. Voting-rights and civil-rights groups caution that these cases are rare relative to millions of valid votes and warn that tightened rules could disenfranchise eligible voters with documentation or name-matching issues (Signal Cleveland; Fox News).
National context and similar investigations
States across the U.S. have performed similar cross-checks of voter rolls against federal and state databases, producing referrals in some jurisdictions and records updates or purges in others. These efforts contribute to an ongoing national debate balancing election security against voter access, with different states taking divergent approaches (Fox News).
Prosecution prospects and DOJ role
LaRose’s office has transmitted a formal letter and supporting documents to the Justice Department’s criminal division for review. The DOJ will determine whether the evidence meets the threshold for federal charges such as false registration or illegal voting; as of the latest reports the department had not publicly announced any charging decisions (Fox News).
Voting irregularities referred to DOJ: the numbers
- Noncitizen registrations: 1,084 (167 of whom appear to have voted in federal elections since 2018)
- Double voting in two states: 99
- Double voting in Ohio: 16
- Voting after date of death: 14
- Ballot harvesting: 4
- Registration at unlawful residence: 2
- Total additional referrals: 135
Source for this breakdown: Fox News.
Civil-rights and legal concerns
Legal experts note that name-matching across databases can produce false positives due to spelling variations, hyphens, married names, or incomplete records. Lawsuits contesting the BMV verification rule argue the policy imposes a disproportionate burden on some groups — including women with name changes and older Americans — and these disputes are likely to be litigated in court (Signal Cleveland).
Implications for the United States of America
- Election security and public trust: High-profile referrals may reassure voters concerned about fraud and encourage other states to invest in cross-agency checks (Fox News; Hoodline).
- Federal enforcement and precedent: DOJ charging decisions will shape precedent; widespread convictions could lead to stronger enforcement nationally, while few charges could prompt calls for clearer cross-checking rules (Fox News).
- Policy and legal fights: Lawmakers may cite Ohio’s findings to push BMV verification rules or expanded data sharing; critics warn such moves could spark further litigation and civil-rights challenges (Signal Cleveland).
- Voter access: Civil-rights advocates emphasize the risk that stricter verification could create barriers for eligible voters with documentation mismatches.
Reporting and next steps
LaRose’s office has sent investigative materials to the DOJ and said it will cooperate with any federal review. The department has not issued a public response. Legal challenges to Ohio’s BMV verification law remain pending, and federal prosecutors will decide whether to pursue criminal charges based on the referrals and supporting records (Fox News; Signal Cleveland; Hoodline).
Sources and further reading
- Fox News: Ohio uncovers over 1,000 noncitizens appearing registered to vote, sends cases to DOJ for prosecution
- Hoodline: Ohio Secretary of State refers alleged voting irregularities to DOJ
- Signal Cleveland: Ohio sued over new citizenship verification law for people trying to register to vote at the BMV
- Fox News: Election investigation uncovers alleged illegal voting, noncitizens, double voters, multiple states
