Secretary of State LaRose clashes with progressive activists over absentee ballots

Secretary of State Frank LaRose and voting rights advocates clashed over a bill “reluctantly” signed by Republican Gov. Mike DeWine in December that will eliminate the grace period for mail-in absentee ballots and require Ohio to purge suspected noncitizens from the voter rolls.

The groups challenged a new Ohio election law, arguing it will disenfranchise naturalized citizens, while LaRose criticized their rhetoric.

The League of Women Voters of Ohio and the Council on American-Islamic Relations of Northern Ohio filed a lawsuit Feb. 13 over Senate Bill 293, which was proposed by state Sens. Andrew Brenner, R-Delaware, and Theresa Gavarone, R-Bowling Green, according to The Columbus Dispatch.

“Instead of welcoming new voters who have gone to great lengths to participate in our democracy, SB 293 creates an unnecessary, discriminatory hurdle for naturalized citizens to cast their ballots,” Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio, said. “Most Ohioans believe that democracy works best when we can all participate freely and fairly.”

Freda Levenson, chief legal officer of the ACLU of Ohio, told The Blade that the systematic voter purges required by the bill are “discriminatory and unlawful,” adding that “using manifestly unreliable data to cull our voter rolls doesn’t protect the integrity of our elections — it harms it.”

“Secretary LaRose’s refusal to correct S.B. 293’s National Voter Registration Act violations outlined in our letter was extremely disappointing,” she said. “To uphold the law and protect democracy in our state, we are left with no other option than litigation.”

Faten Husni Odeh, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations Northern Ohio, also told the news outlet that the bill is a “direct threat to the fundamental right to vote.”

“Naturalized citizens have fulfilled every legal requirement and sworn an oath to this country,” Odeh said. “Singling them out with new barriers is discriminatory and unacceptable.”

On the other hand, supporters of the bill, including LaRose himself, believe it will ensure Ohio’s voter rolls are accurate and prevent non-Americans from voting.

“Frivolous and unfounded lawsuits are nothing new for these groups,” Ben Kindel, a spokesperson for Secretary of State Frank LaRose, told The Dispatch. “We are confident the legislation passed by the Ohio General Assembly complies with federal law.”

LaRose also responded to the article by The Dispatch, writing on X that the “liberal activists are at it again” because it is the election year.

Liberal activists at it again…. Must be an election year! pic.twitter.com/mO22Z0Jn3E

— Frank LaRose (@FrankLaRose) February 13, 2026

Verify Ohio, created by LaRose, also responded to a comment on X, stating that Ohio enacted a photo ID law that allows Ohioans to “obtain a state ID free of charge.”

“No excuses. No barriers,” the organization said.

Yes. That’s why when Ohio enacted our photo ID law, we also created the option to obtain a state ID free of charge. No excuses. No barriers. Make a plan today at https://t.co/FsqpAjbZHa! pic.twitter.com/U2IX3lJ3SU

— Verify Ohio by Ohio Secretary of State (@VerifyOhio) February 13, 2026

LaRose also said, “There are 176 locations around the state where you could get your free ID.”

There are 176 locations around the state where you could get your free ID. Find the nearest BMV Deputy Registrar License Agency to you here: https://t.co/eK82VQU9Uz https://t.co/m4XYsMFHLz

— Frank LaRose (@FrankLaRose) February 13, 2026