A Note from Secretary LaRose:
What a year 2019 has been! Our mission from day one has been to make our elections more secure, accessible and accurate – and we’re getting the job done. From the implementation of our security directive to innovative new post-election audits, Ohio will be ready for 2020.
Because every county board of elections has their own unique challenges -- and their own creative solutions -- I set the goal of visiting every single BoE before the end of the year. On December 20th, we accomplished that objective. I’m so very proud of the dedicated, bipartisan teams that work every day to make sure Ohio voters can be confident that their elections are accurate and fair.
It’s because of the patriotism and dedication of these elections professionals that Ohioans know their elections reflect the true will of the people and every eligible voter can make their voice heard!
We’ve also made Ohio even more business friendly, introducing a tool which allows new entrepreneurs to leverage the many services available to help them succeed and grow jobs. And it’s paying off – Ohio is going to set an all-time record for new business creation in 2019!
I’m fortunate to have a tireless , talented, and dedicated team working with me to serve Ohioans.Each of them shares my clear sense of mission for this office and all are excited to embrace the opportunities and overcome the challenges which are certain to come our way in 2020.
From all of us here at the Secretary of State’s office, I wish you and your family a healthy and happy New Year!
Yours in service,
-Frank
LaRose Visits All 88 County Board of Elections
LaRose has successfully traveled to all 88 County boards of elections. Along the way he met 88 bipartisan teams working patriotically to deliver honest elections. Click here to see a video of LaRose's trip around the state.
Keeping Elections Honest and Voter Fraud Rare
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has identified cases of potential voter fraud and made referrals to the appropriate law-enforcement authorities this month. Among them were 354 who appear to be non-citizens who voted or registered and 18 who allegedly voted twice. Required by state law, the Secretary’s office compared voter rolls to state-maintained lists indicating citizenship status and any matches were given multiple opportunities to correct inadvertent errors. Additionally, he partnered with ERIC, a multi-state collaborative to identify instances of voters casting ballots in multiple states.
Highlighting Ohio’s Storied Aeronautical Business Sector
LaRose announced the selected businesses for December’s Ohio Business Spotlight. This month, we honored the birthplace of aviation by recognizing some of the companies that have strengthened Ohio’s proud aeronautical tradition. Click here to learn more.
Candidates Filing for the 2020 Presidential Primary
To appear on the ballot, candidates must have filed for the Presidential Primary in Ohio with the Ohio Secretary of State’s Elections Division no later than Wednesday, December 18, 2019 at 4:00 p.m.
According to state law, our office must announce who has qualified to appear on the ballot 70 days before the primary. This year, that announcement will be made on January 7, 2020. Click here to see who has filed.
Getting Counties Secure for 2020
All of Ohio's 88 County Boards of Election have until January 31, 2019 to complete a pre-election security checklist required by Secretary LaRose. Boards received this directive in June 2019 and have been working tirelessly to complete it by the deadline. In December, we brought representatives from all 88 counties for a security briefing with officials from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Click here to read Cleveland.com's story on the event.
Strong November New Business Report Virtually Assures ARecord-Breaking 2019
LaRose announced 8,278 new entities filed to do business in Ohio in November, allowing Ohio to reach 121,550 new businesses in the first eleven months of 2019. Click here to learn more.
New Way To Ensure Election Accuracy
In an effort to assure the confidence of Ohioans in their elections, LaRose highlighted a more efficient and accurate way of conducting post-election audits. The Defiance County Board of Elections will join Clark County as the two pilot counties in Ohio to utilize the risk-limiting audit. Additionally Cuyahoga County has been a long-time user of risk-limiting audits. Click here to learn more.
