In a significant move following a U.S. Supreme Court decision, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose is advocating for legislation that would mandate proof of citizenship for all voter registration applications, the New York Post reported.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose is pushing for state legislation to require proof of citizenship on voter registration forms in response to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling supporting such measures.
Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision, Frank LaRose addressed a letter to Republican leaders in both the Ohio House and Senate. He urged them to take legislative action to require citizenship proof for those registering to vote. This follows a ruling that stemmed from an emergency request by Arizona Senate President Warren Petersen.
Currently, Ohio law allows LaRose to issue official voter registration forms but stops short of allowing him to demand proof of citizenship as part of the registration process. This has placed Ohio at a legal standstill, despite federal and state laws already prohibiting noncitizens from voting in state and federal elections.
The Supreme Court's decision was influenced by situations in states like Arizona, where the law now mandates that citizenship proof is required for voter registration. Arizona and 23 other states supported this requirement, leading to significant changes in how voter registration processes are managed in those states.
In Arizona, individuals without sufficient identification can register as "federal only" voters, a category that requires them to attest to their citizenship but does not outright prevent them from registering. State voter registrations in Arizona lacking identification will now be rejected, reinforcing the need for stringent voter identification measures.
Ohio's current statutes grant significant authority to the Secretary of State regarding the issuance of voter registration forms. However, the prohibition on requiring proof of citizenship has sparked controversy, especially following the Supreme Court's decision that supports such measures in other states.
LaRose’s proposal aims to align Ohio with states like Arizona by requiring front-end verification of citizenship.
This change would effectively prevent any noncitizen from being registered before their eligibility is conclusively determined.
“American elections are only for American citizens. This is common sense and it’s also the law. Despite roadblocks and lack of support from the federal government, Ohio has led the way in removing noncitizens from the voter rolls and referring those who violate the law to prosecutors,” LaRose stated.
“Following a recent ruling by the US Supreme Court, we now have the opportunity to require front-end citizenship verification prior to a registration being processed.
This would be a great step forward for future elections, and I’m asking the Ohio General Assembly to pass legislation further protecting the integrity of Ohio’s elections,” LaRose explained in his appeal to state legislators.
This move by LaRose is seen as an effort to fortify the integrity of the voting process in Ohio, ensuring that only eligible citizens can influence the outcome of state and federal elections.
The controversy surrounding voter registration and the inclusion of a citizenship proof requirement continues to be a topic of national discussion, particularly as states interpret and implement the Supreme Court's ruling.
