Ohio Secretary of State Forms Fraud Detection Partnerships with Republican-Led States
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has announced new partnerships with three Republican-led states in order to share voter data and detect potential fraud. These agreements with Florida, Virginia, and West Virginia are aimed at replacing the functions previously performed by the bipartisan Electronic Registration Information Center (ERIC). This move comes after Ohio withdrew from ERIC, citing concerns about the organization’s operations and diminishing returns on their membership fee.
The agreements focus on sharing voter data to identify instances of illegal attempts to double vote or register to vote twice. While ERIC had a mix of Democratic and Republican members, all three states in the new partnerships announced by LaRose are run by Republicans. Florida is particularly significant due to its large population and the number of older Ohioans who spend part of their time there.
LaRose emphasized that these partnerships represent a new approach to sharing voter data, moving away from the model of using unaccountable third-party vendors. He stated that Ohio is taking the lead in ensuring election integrity and that this is just one aspect of their efforts as they prepare for the next presidential election.
Several Republican-led states have left ERIC since last year, raising doubts about the organization’s operations. Concerns have been expressed about an ERIC bylaw that requires member states to reach out to eligible residents and encourage them to register to vote. Critics have also made baseless claims that the group shares sensitive voter information with liberal groups. It should be noted that ERIC denies these claims.
LaRose’s decision to withdraw from ERIC and form these new partnerships comes as he is running for U.S. Senate in the Republican primary in March. Election integrity is a top concern for GOP voters, especially in light of former President Donald Trump’s false claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
Officials in LaRose’s office have expressed their intention to establish similar data-sharing partnerships with both Democratic and Republican-controlled states, including current ERIC members. They expect to announce more deals in the near future.
In conclusion, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has formed partnerships with three Republican-led states to share voter data and detect fraud. These collaborations aim to replace the functions previously performed by ERIC and mark a shift in how voter data is shared. Ohio’s decision to withdraw from ERIC and form these new partnerships reflects concerns about the organization’s operations and aligns with the top concern of GOP voters regarding election integrity.
