Ohio state Sen. Gavarone introduces bills to investigate voter fraud and clean up election data
A pair of priority voting measures for Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose got their first committee hearing Tuesday. Sen. Theresa Gavarone, R-Bowling Green, is sponsoring both proposals on the heels of passing new voter ID restrictions late last year.
Gavarone’s first bill, SB 51, creates a new Election Integrity Division answering to the Secretary of State. The team would be responsible for investigating voter fraud “upon receiving a complaint” or at its own discretion. In addition to requiring the office investigate public complaints, the law directs it to produce an annual report.
The second proposal, SB 71, establishes another office under the Secretary of State’s umbrella. The Office of Data Analytics and Archives would serve as a clearing house for the statewide voter registration database. The measure also codifies what information boards of election must include in a bid for uniformity.
Election officials and voting rights organizations see room to improve Ohio’s election data management. But the involvement of a Donald Trump-aligned think tank is raising eyebrows.
It’s worth noting that the Secretary of State already investigates voter fraud. It’s incredibly rare; the secretary has said so repeatedly. Also, the division that investigates violations envisioned under SB 51 already exists.
https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/03/09/ohio-state-sen-gavarone-introduces-bills-to-investigate-voter-fraud-and-clean-up-election-data/
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