COLUMBUS, Ohio — The deadline is approaching for Ohioans to register to vote in the November election. But Democratic lawmakers are calling on Secretary of State Frank LaRose to provide clarity on his most recent voter registration cancellations.

Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s Office has removed several inactive and out-of-date registrations from Ohio’s voter rolls. LaRose says it is a process that his predecessors, who are both Democrats and Republicans, have done to ensure safe and secure elections. But, Democratic State Representative Munira Abdullahi says she fears that the latest voter purge will ensnare many newly naturalized citizens.  

What You Need To Know

• Secretary of State Frank LaRose removes several out-of-date, and inactive Ohio voter rolls to ensure safe, and secure elections


• Democratic State Rep. Munira Abdullahi believes these voter purges could ensnare many newly naturalized citizens


• Abdullahi wrote a letter to the Secretary of State's Office seeking clarity 

"According to the most recent published data from the United States Citizen and Immigration Services in Ohio alone, over 16,000 naturalization applications were approved during the 2023 fiscal cycle," said State Rep. Munira Abdullahi, (D-Columbus). "That number encompasses 3,682 naturalization applications approved in the Cincinnati office, 4,648 from the Cleveland office, and 7,700 from the Columbus office, which is a significant number of American citizens who have become legally eligible to vote in and contribute to the free and fair elections that are so critical to the survival of our nation's democracy." 

Abdullahi sent a letter to LaRose’s office requesting information on what data and processes were used when examining who should be removed. She told media outlets Friday morning that she deals with new Americans often, and is questioning the process of showing proof of citizenship to the Board of Elections to ensure people aren’t being purged by mistake. At this time, she has not received a response from LaRose yet. 

"This issue is especially pertinent considering the local and national issues and individuals on the ballot this November," Abdullahi said. "Making this one of the most historic elections on a national and state level, protecting voter rights is essential to preventing disenfranchised disenfranchisement and ensuring quality." 

LaRose previously told Spectrum News his office released a list to the public months before they deleted records. He also claimed that voter files do not contain racial data.

“Our office has sent more than 30,000 letters to individuals identified by state and federal records as noncitizens," said Dan Lusheck, a spokesman of the Ohio Secretary of State's Office. "We’ve given them ample opportunity to prove their citizenship and update their voting record. It’s a very transparent process. We’re obligated by law to ensure that only eligible citizens can vote in Ohio’s elections. We also want to make sure anyone who recently became a naturalized citizen can exercise their right to vote without issue and that they have the right to identification when they do vote. This isn’t complicated. It’s the law.”   

Vincent Wells, who is a local immigration attorney, said registering to vote is one of the first things new citizens would like to take part in. Wells said all Ohioans of voting age should check to see if they are registered to vote. Then, after checking status, ensure all data is up to date. 

“It’s really simple,” Wells said. “You can go online to pull up your voter registration, and see if you’re still registered. Then, if that doesn’t work, you can call your board of elections office and see if you’re still registered.”