COLUMBUS, Ohio – After scoring a victory in court, the Ohio Secretary of State's Office is expected to follow through on a massive voter registration purge today.

The purge is happening despite discovering mistakes on the list, released by Secretary of State Frank LaRose, of roughly 235,000 voters at risk of losing their registrations.

Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio, says the list erroneously includes names of some voters who are actually eligible to vote.

"Thousands of individuals on the list had voted as recently as 2018, and by no means should be removed,” says Miller. “Others may not have gotten proper notification because of discrepancies between counties' lists and Secretary of State LaRose's voter look-up website."

This week, a U.S. District Court judge denied a request to temporarily halt the removal process, noting that LaRose has been transparent in releasing the registration list and restored registrants who were eligible. Nearly 12,000 people on the list updated their registration information and won't be removed.

Miller says voting-rights groups appreciate the Secretary of State's efforts to ensure a quality review of the rolls, but contend it wasn't as in-depth as what they'd prefer.

"At the end of the day the buck stops with the secretary [of state],” says Miller. “Both in federal law and state law, it is the secretary's job to make sure that voter rolls are accurate – and that includes making sure that people are not wrongfully removed through this purge policy."

Miller encourages all Ohio voters to check their status on the Secretary of State's website, to ensure they don't have problems before the Oct. 7 deadline to register.

"And if it says you're 'active,' that means your registration is good to go,” says Miller. “If it says 'confirmation,' you should absolutely re-register. If your name isn't there at all, you definitely need to register. You have 30 days to do so."

If an Ohio voter is inactive for a two years, a notification is sent of their pending registration cancellation. If they fail to respond and don't vote for four years, they can be removed from the rolls.

The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the system last year, despite arguments that it may violate the National Voting Rights Act.


This story was produced in association with Media in the Public Interest, and funded in part by the George Gund Foundation.


get more stories like this via email

An Indiana debate over history and power is growing. Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith recently defended the Three-Fifths Compromise in a social media video. The compromise counted enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for representation and taxes.

Beckwith called it a "great move" for America at the time, and praised the group WallBuilders, describing them as the "gold standard" for teaching U.S. history.

The Indiana Citizen investigated both claims. Publisher Bill Moreau called on Hoosiers to pay attention.

"We have been working on a project since the first of the year that we called: 'One Heartbeat Away: Do Christian nationalists have an agenda for Indiana?' Lt. Gov. Beckwith is literally one heartbeat away from being governor," he said.

If Beckwith became governor, he could shape education policy. That includes choosing textbooks. The Indiana Citizen's report found WallBuilders promotes views rejected by most historians. Some Hoosiers agree with Beckwith and say his views reflect America's religious roots.

Moreau encouraged Hoosiers to stay informed and take a closer look at the history Beckwith promotes.

"Understand what Lt. Gov. Beckwith said about the Three-Fifths Compromise," he added. "How he attributes that analysis to this group called WallBuilders - which he considers to be 'the gold standard for learning the real history of America.'"


get more stories like this via email

Seattle's City Council voted last week to put the city's Democracy Voucher Program on the ballot to be renewed in August and supporters of the program are looking to take it statewide.

Launched in 2017, the program gives each resident four $25 vouchers to donate to participating candidates. Data show the program has boosted voter turnout, increased small donors fivefold, and encouraged more women and people of color to run.

Spencer Olson, spokesperson for the nonprofit People Powered Elections Seattle, said voucher programs counter nationwide voting rights rollbacks and model a more inclusive democracy.

"It's proof that we can reduce the influence of big money, can expand participation, and can give regular people a stronger voice in who represents them," Olson outlined.

People Powered Elections has been working on a bill for next session to bring democracy vouchers to Washington's state legislative races. Participating candidates must get a minimum number of signatures and small donations to qualify and must adhere to contribution and spending limits.

Critics of the program said it creates new avenues for corruption because candidates will be motivated to lie about where the contributions come from. Olson countered so far in Seattle there has been no evidence of widespread misuse or fraud, adding there are robust legal safeguards in place.

"Anyone who commits theft, forgery, trafficking or unlawful transfers of democracy vouchers face steep penalties and fines and up to time in jail," Olson pointed out.

Olson noted Seattle's success has inspired interest from other cities and counties. He added a statewide voucher program for legislative elections could create infrastructure to expand it locally, helping smaller communities hold more competitive races.

"I used to live over in Kittitas County for many years, and it was very common to have an uncontested election or not even have anyone run for local office," Olson recounted.

A bill to bring a voucher program to Washington's state elections will be introduced next year.


get more stories like this via email

Indiana activists with the 50501 movement will hold new protests this summer against the Trump administration.

The effort, which stands for "50 protests, 50 states, one movement," plans to expand beyond the Statehouse into smaller Indiana communities.

Alisa Advani, Indiana chapter member of the 50501 movement, said local organizers will lead the new events. Advani explained the movement wants to fight government overreach and protect constitutional rights.

"It's a national group," Advani pointed out. "It was designed specifically so that there would be coordinated protests in every state on the same day, and it's grown exponentially. Now, we've had protest groups pop up by the 10s, 20s, 30s across every state."

Critics said the protests exaggerate federal actions. Some argued they turn legal and policy debates into political fights. National political analysts said the 50501 movement reflects political division and growing public concern about the role of government.

Advani noted more 50501 groups are forming across the country. The Indiana chapter plans to announce summer protest dates soon.

"A lot of people in the United States are upset," Advani emphasized. "They see a loss of constitutional rights and due process. And they've decided to come out in protest to send a very clear message to Congress and the President of the United States that we will not stand by idly and let this happen."

The group said it wants to create a space for people who may have been afraid to speak out in the past. Advani added they accept new members from all political backgrounds, including those who once supported current federal policies.


get more stories like this via email