COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio has removed 155,000 inactive and out-of-date voter registrations from the state's voter rolls ahead of the November election, the state elections chief announced Friday.

What You Need To Know

  • Ohio’s elections chief says the state has removed 155,000 inactive and out-of-date voter registrations from the voter rolls ahead of the November election
  • Ohio Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose says inactive voters and non-U.S. citizens were among those removed
  • LaRose said in a statement Friday that the moves help prevent voter fraud

Ohio Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose said inactive voters and non-U.S. citizens were among those removed. He had directed county election directors in May to hunt through the voter rolls in an effort he says is legally mandated to remove inactive registrations.

“Every Ohioan, regardless of their political views, should care about accurate voter rolls,” LaRose said in a statement Friday. “Diligent list maintenance helps prevent voter fraud and ensures the voice of the voters is heard on Election Day."

The effort targeted people who have moved and are no longer eligible to vote at their former address, those with four consecutive years of voter inactivity, and people whose registrations don’t match certain details they provided to the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, such as their name, birth date or driver’s license number.

LaRose said residents can fill out or update their voter registration by Oct. 7 online.