Ohio has delivered a crushing blow to election fraud by uncovering over 1,000 noncitizens illegally registered to vote and sending all cases to federal prosecutors for criminal charges.
Story Highlights
- Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose discovered 1,084 noncitizens unlawfully registered to vote, with 167 having cast illegal ballots since 2018
- All cases referred to Department of Justice for federal prosecution, marking largest such referral in state history
- Additional 135 individuals caught in other voting violations including double voting, ballot harvesting, and voting from the grave
- Discovery validates Trump administration’s warnings about noncitizen voting undermining American elections
- Ohio’s Election Integrity Unit proves robust voter verification can expose widespread fraud previous administrations ignored
Massive Fraud Discovery Exposes System Vulnerabilities
Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced Tuesday that Ohio’s Election Integrity Unit identified 1,084 noncitizens who unlawfully registered to vote in the Buckeye State. The investigation revealed 167 of these individuals actually cast ballots in federal elections since 2018, directly violating federal law and corrupting American electoral processes. LaRose formally referred all cases to the Department of Justice’s criminal division, demanding prosecution for these brazen attacks on election integrity.
This discovery represents exactly the kind of systematic fraud that Democrats and their media allies claimed didn’t exist. For years, conservatives warned that inadequate voter verification allowed ineligible individuals to participate in elections reserved for American citizens. Ohio’s findings prove these concerns were not only valid but understated the scope of the problem.
Comprehensive Investigation Reveals Additional Criminal Activity
Beyond noncitizen voting, LaRose’s team uncovered 135 additional cases of election fraud spanning multiple categories of illegal activity. The referral package includes 99 individuals who voted in two different states during the same federal election, 16 who voted twice within Ohio, and 14 cases of voting after death. Investigators also identified four instances of ballot harvesting and two cases involving registration at unlawful residences.
These findings demonstrate how deeply election fraud has penetrated American voting systems under previous administrations’ lax oversight. LaRose emphasized Ohio’s commitment to clean elections, stating: “Ohio has earned its reputation as the Gold Standard, and our Election Integrity Unit continues to prove why. We work tirelessly to ensure that every eligible voter’s voice is heard, and anyone who tries to cheat the system will face serious consequences.”
Trump Administration Vindicated on Election Security Warnings
The Ohio investigation validates President Trump’s longstanding concerns about noncitizen voting affecting electoral outcomes. While liberal activists and complicit media repeatedly dismissed these warnings as unfounded conspiracy theories, Ohio’s systematic approach using data from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Department of Homeland Security, and Social Security Administration exposed the reality of widespread fraud.
LaRose’s office had already removed over 155,000 abandoned voter registrations and referred hundreds of suspected noncitizen voters to federal authorities before the 2024 election. The current referral represents the largest single batch of election fraud cases in state history, proving that rigorous voter verification can uncover extensive criminal activity when authorities actually investigate.
Federal Prosecution Essential for Deterring Future Fraud
These cases now rest with the Department of Justice, which must decide whether to pursue federal criminal charges against over 1,200 individuals who allegedly violated election laws. Illegal voting by noncitizens carries penalties of six to 18 months in prison and fines up to $5,000, with potential immigration consequences including deportation for those convicted.
The Trump administration’s commitment to election integrity means these referrals should receive serious prosecutorial attention, unlike the Biden administration’s practice of ignoring such violations. LaRose previously sued the Biden administration for failing to provide data that could have identified wrongful voter registrations, demonstrating how Democratic officials actively obstructed election security efforts. With proper federal enforcement, Ohio’s investigation can establish crucial precedents deterring future fraud attempts nationwide.
Sources:
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost voter fraud prosecution criticized by judge
