Press Releases

Entrepreneurs in Franklin, Trumbull, Ross, Hamilton, Athens, Cuyahoga, and Lucas Counties Are Making Their Mark on Ohio's Economy

Ohio’s Election System Works to Ensure Voter Integrity and Keep Election Fraud Exceedingly Rare

Nearly 200,000 New Businesses Were Created in 2021

Bills Cut Red Tape for Minority, Women, and Veteran-owned Businesses; Boost Protections for Survivors of Domestic Abuse

Today, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose released the following statement following Senate Democrats’ most recent failure to advance legislation attempting to federalize election administration:

Entrepreneurs in Franklin, Mahoning, Summit, Scioto, Muskingum, Defiance, and Montgomery Counties Are Helping Ohioans Meet Their Fitness Goals

Results Show Ohio Once Again Ran Secure and Accurate Elections

The Accomplishments and Initiatives of the Ohio Secretary of State in 2021

Upon the completion of the official canvassing of election results across Ohio from the November 2nd General Election, eighteen races resulted in a tie that had to be determined by coin flip or by some similar method. In all, following the official statewide canvass, twelve candidate races and six local issue races ended in ties. While tied candidate races are ultimately decided by a coin flip administered by the county board of elections, issue races resulting in a tie are defeated, as Ohio law requires a majority of affirmative votes for passage.

Early in November, Ohioans broke the annual new business filings record set in 2020 with almost two full months remaining to create a new business. With data for November now final, the total number of new businesses created last month is 13,754, a 13 percent increase over last November’s filing numbers. Ohioans have so far submitted a total of 184,494 new business filings this year. Last year’s record for all of 2020 was 171,073 new filings.

Bill is a Win-Win for Voters, Taxpayers

COLUMBUS – Every year in December, families and businesses across both Ohio and the nation celebrate the holiday season by sharing gifts with their loved ones. To most, this is an enduring, memorable time of their lives that started when they were children. Now as adults, a number of Ohioans are helping other families make holiday memories as special as theirs by starting a toy business. The eight businesses featured in this month’s Ohio Business Spotlight have taken their passion for toys, books, bikes and more, and turned them into unique and magical shops for local community members to enjoy.

At the direction of Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, a review of the most recent new business filings indicates that with more than five weeks left in 2021, Ohio has already broken the state record for new business filings. As of close of business on November 21st, 181,586 new businesses have been created in the state of Ohio in 2021, breaking the record of 171,073 new businesses set throughout all of 2020.

With 14,140 new business filings in October, Ohio entrepreneurs are close to breaking the record total for 2020 with two full months remaining to create a business. Ohioans have submitted a total of 170,740 new business filings through October this year versus last year’s record of 171,073 new filings from January to December.

COLUMBUS – When a veteran comes home from serving, he or she has accumulated an array of skills, knowledge, discipline, and other expertise that translate seamlessly to Ohio’s workforce needs. Our veterans have an unparalleled sense of duty and a desire to give back to their communities after they leave the service, as their pledge to serve their country continues. Many veterans start their own businesses to serve their community, work independently, put their skills to work, or all the above. By visiting the Ohio Business Spotlight below, you will learn about a sample of Ohio Veterans who decided to embrace their experience and share their passion and work ethic with others.

As a result of a failure by the Franklin County Board of Elections to effectively follow a remediation plan as provided by the Ohio Secretary of State, e-pollbooks failed once again to work properly this past Election Day. Consequentially, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose is placing the Franklin County Board of Elections on Administrative Oversight.

COLUMBUS – Tomorrow is Election Day! 377,399 voters have cast their absentee ballot or voted early statewide. Of those, 172,886 cast their ballot early in-person. This data includes all ballots received and processed through 2:00pm on Monday afternoon. Total absentee and early in-person ballots cast are 17.8% (57,100) more than at the same point in November 2019.

Ohio’s remarkable year of new business filings continued in September, as the Ohio Secretary of State’s Business Services Division reported 14,543 new business formations for the month of September. Through the first nine months of 2021, 156,600 new businesses have formed in Ohio, as Ohioans continue to defy expectations amid the economic headwinds stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Today Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Sherrod Brown once again failed to move S. 2747, their latest attempt to federalize election administration, forward. After their failure, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose issued the following statement:

With 20 days until the election, more than 27,000 Ohioans have signed up to serve as a poll worker on November 2nd. This includes 12,456 Democratic poll workers and 11,592 Republicans. Yet only four of the 88 counties have met their recruitment goal for the November election. A review of all county data shows Ohio remains 17,393 poll workers short of the goal of recruiting 42,204 poll workers.