Sharing the Truth about Ohio Elections by Citizen Volunteer Researchers
Virtually all states have serious election integrity issues, including Ohio. Once you see the data as we have, you cannot unsee. That is why we are here.
ENSURE ONLY ELIGIBLE AMERICANS HAVE A VOICE IN OHIO'S ELECTIONS
THE TIME IS NOW FOR VOTER VERIFICATION:
Seven (7) critical issues have been identified, along with reasonable actions the Ohio Secretary of State (SOS) and state legislators can take now to help ensure only eligible Americans have a voice in the upcoming November 2024 presidential election and beyond:
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Verify votes from only US citizens count (SOS action);
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Ensure a copy of a valid elector photo-id is submitted with every mail-in ballot (legislator action);
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Require every elector provides verified identification for their vote to count (SOS action);
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Ensure votes count from only Ohio residents (SOS action);
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Verify the identity of all persons who register to vote (SOS action);
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Train workers to identify noncitizen driver’s licenses when voting (SOS action);
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Train agency employees and BMV to truthfully assist in voter registration (SOS action ).
In addition, for transparency purposes, the provisional flag and reason should be made available on all public reporting of each voter record.
WHAT WE KNOW . . .
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Millions of illegal immigrants have entered our country over the last three years. If a person violates immigration laws, what stops them from violating election laws?
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Noncitizens can register to vote today AND vote in the November 2024 election.
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The annual noncitizen review in current Ohio law is inadequate in identifying all noncitizens on Ohio voter rolls:
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In situations where no driver’s license exists, over 837,000 persons are reported as having registered to vote using the last 4 digits of social security number. The annual noncitizen review does not verify these electors for US citizenship.
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Noncitizens who don’t follow the 3-step process listed in Ohio Revised Code 3505.152 are not identified as noncitizens.
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A living person is required to present a photo-id to vote in-person; however, anyone can submit a mail-in ballot without a photo-id, which violates equal protection of the law. It may be possible for ineligible persons to register to vote with an invalid last 4 digits of social security number and any signature, then vote by-mail with the same invalid last 4 digits of social security number and the same signature.
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Persons applying for an Ohio driver’s license or state identification card are automatically registered to vote unless they fail to sign the form, even if they do not have the qualifications to register to vote. Over 236,000 noncitizens have Ohio driver’s licenses/state id’s. How many of them are misled into illegally registering to vote?
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Persons applying for assistance at state agencies are given a voter registration application form and asked if they wish to register to vote, even if they do not have the qualifications to register to vote. How many noncitizens are misled into illegally registering to vote?
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Since 2023, new Ohio driver’s licenses identify noncitizens; however, poll workers and election officials are not trained to identify these driver’s licenses when a person votes.
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Persons who move to other states, register and vote in other states can still vote in Ohio.
WHAT MUST BE DONE . . .
Implement SOS Security Directives and/or legislation on seven (7) critical issues in Ohio’s election systems that threaten secure and accurate elections in Ohio. These critical issues must be addressed at the earliest possible before the November 2024 elections.
PROVISIONAL FLAG PROCESS: In the case of voter verification, a provisional flag is placed on every voter record in which an elector is not verified as eligible to register or vote through all available resources:
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A provisional flag does not indicate the elector is ineligible; it simply indicates available resources have not determined the elector is eligible; therefore, it is necessary for the elector to provide proof of eligibility.
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Allow the elector an opportunity to provide proof of eligibility at the BOE during regular business hours.
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Require all electors with a provisional flag to cast a provisional ballot and provide proof of eligibility in the time allowed for their vote to count.
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Once proof of eligibility is provided, the provisional flag is removed.
SEVEN CRITICAL ISSUES -
1. US CITIZENSHIP VERIFICATION - view details
Ensure every elector currently on the voter rolls and each new elector added to Ohio voter rolls is verified as a US citizen using all available resources which may include but are not limited to the following:
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Bureau of Motor Vehicle records,
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Ohio Job & Family Services,
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state court records of jurists dismissed due to not being US citizens,
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United States social security administration records,
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Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) service, or its successor service, operated by the United States Department of Homeland Security or its successor department,
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government database or commercial service based on information derived from sources including, but not limited to:
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a valid and unexpired United States passport
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a certified copy of a United States birth certificate, certification of report of birth, consular report of birth abroad, certificate of citizenship, or certificate of naturalization.
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An absentee ballot application and absentee ballot shall be mailed only to electors who have been verified to be US citizens. Place a provisional flag on the voter record for every elector who is not verified as a US citizen.
2. PHOTO-ID FOR ALL BALLOTS: Electors who vote in-person are required to provide a valid photo-id that is not expired. If they show a photo-id that has recently expired, they are required to file a provisional ballot and renew their driver’s license within the time allowed for their vote to count.
Persons who vote by-mail are not held to the same standard. Their absent by-mail vote will count even though they have an expired driver’s license. This is not fair and violates equal protection of the law. Require all mail-in ballots to contain a copy of the elector’s valid and unexpired photo-id.
What if an elector does not have a valid photo-id or cannot make a copy of their photo-id? Will this lead to a lawsuit?
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Mail-in voting is not required by federal law except for UOCAVA. It is entirely under the state’s discretion, and if a state wants to put restrictions on mail-in ballots, they can.
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The BMV has an existing homebound credentialing process for exceptional circumstances when an individual has a medical condition or disability and is unable to travel to a Deputy Registrar’s license agency to apply for a State ID.
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ORC 3509.08 already addresses the issue of helping persons who are disabled or confined vote. BOE can deliver an absentee ballot to their place of confinement and return it to the board. It shouldn’t be too much of an ask for the BOE to make a copy of a photo-id on a portable printer for the disabled or confined,
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Every public library in Ohio is required by law to provide a free copy of an elector’s photo-id.
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The SOS can prescribe a program to:
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print a free copy of an elector’s photo-id at every county BOE office or at the SOS office.
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expand services at state agencies that provide voter registration services to provide a free copy of a photo-id, upon request.
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It stands to reason the risk of identity theft will be lower if a copy of a photo-id is included with a mail-in ballot.
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When a copy of a photo-id is included with a mail-in ballot, it makes it more difficult for identity theft of an elector, resulting in a smaller risk of a living elector going to the polls to vote on election day only to be told they already voted a mail-in ballot. Sure, this living person can cast a provisional ballot, but Ohio law requires the absent by-mail vote be counted instead of a provisional ballot. That could lead to a lawsuit.
3. IDENTIFICATION VERIFICATION:
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New Voter Registrations: Prior to adding an elector to the voter registration database in ACTIVE status, place applicant in PENDING status until the driver’s license/state identification number or last 4 digits of social security number matches BMV/SSA records, and the name, address (as applicable) and birth date on the application associates to BMV/SSA records for the elector.
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Existing Electors: Verify every elector who currently exists and each new elector added to Ohio voter rolls has a valid driver’s license/state identification number or last 4 digits of social security number when compared to BMV/SSA records, and the name, address (as applicable) and birth date of the elector matches BMV/SSA records.
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An absentee ballot application and absentee ballot shall be mailed only to electors whose identification has been verified on BMV or SSA records. Place a provisional flag on the voter record for every elector whose identification has not been verified.
4. RESIDENCY VERIFICATION:
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Over 180,000 electors exist on Ohio voter rolls even though they have filed a permanent USPS National Change of Address (NCOA) form. Many of these electors are registered to vote in Ohio and another state.
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A person must transfer their out-of-state driver’s license to an Ohio driver’s license within 30 days of becoming an Ohio resident. Other states have similar requirements.
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The Secretary of State can enter into an agreement with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles/American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (BMV/AAMVA) to identify electors whose driver’s license was transferred to another state. With the exception of UOCAVA electors, a provisional flag would be placed on the voter record of electors whose driver’s license was transferred to another state. The elector is given an opportunity to provide alternate information to prove current Ohio residency.
5. IDENTITY VERIFICATION:
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The online BMV system requires identity verification to renew a vehicle license online; however, no such identity verification program exists when registering to vote online or by paper voter registration applications without in-person assistance.
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Isn’t registering to vote at least as important as renewing a vehicle license?
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Over 34,000 cases of identity theft were reported in Ohio in 2023. Voter registrations are not immune to this serious problem.
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The Secretary of State can prescribe a program to verify the identity of all persons who register to vote other than in-person.
6. TRAINING TO RECOGNIZE NONCITIZEN DRIVER’S LICENSE/STATE ID:
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Since 2023, noncitizens are marked on new Ohio driver’s licenses and state id’s; however there has been no guidance or training requirements for poll workers or election officials regarding electors who vote and their driver’s license/state id has a noncitizen mark.
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The Secretary of State can prescribe a program to:
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direct in-person electors with a noncitizen mark on their driver’s license/state id to vote a provisional ballot and provide a valid proof of US citizenship document within the time allowed for the vote to count;
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contact a mail-in ballot elector who provided a copy of their driver’s license/state id that has a noncitizen mark, and offer the opportunity for the elector to cure the ballot by providing a valid proof of US citizenship document within the time allowed for the vote to count.
7. TRAIN AGENCY EMPLOYEES TO TRUTHFULLY ASSIST IN VOTER REGISTRATION:
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Federal law requires state agencies to distribute a voter registration form and ask if the person obtaining services from the agency if they want to register to vote.
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Federal law requires the BMV to submit a voter registration application to the SOS when a person obtains services at the BMV unless the person does not sign the form.
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The Secretary of State can prescribe a program to train state agency and BMV employees who provide voter registration assistance of the qualifications to register and vote and advise applicants of the same. Require state agencies/BMV to compare voter registration applications to agency/BMV records and advise applicants if they do not qualify to register to vote, and to correct any errors on the voter registration application, for example: the applicant checks the box saying they are a US citizen however, BMV or ODJFS records indicate the applicant is not a US citizen.
TRANSPARENCY:
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Make accessible the provisional flag and reason for the provisional flag as printable fields for each voter record on all public reporting.
IN CLOSING . . .
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The seven (7) critical issues identified in this document are components of HB472 and HB552 that must be implemented for the November 2024 election, by directive or law, to help ensure only eligible Americans have a voice in the upcoming November 2024 presidential election and beyond. The critical issues described herein are not a substitute for the entire HB472 bill.