Unsolicited mailings come under scrutiny

VW independent staff/submitted information

COLUMBUS — Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has issued another warning to Ohio voters about confusing and misleading election information stemming from unsolicited mailings by the groups Ready to Register Inc. and Center for Voter Information.

The Secretary of State’s office has been made aware of recent voter registration mailers that may cause confusion among Ohio voters, including individuals who are already registered at their current address. Secretary LaRose agrees with the stated concerns about similar mailings in North Carolina, which have reportedly included outdated voter registration materials, inaccurate voter data, mail sent to deceased individuals, incorrect return information, and QR codes raising privacy concerns.

“These groups claim they’re helping voters, but careless mass mailings often do the opposite,” LaRose said. “They confuse already-registered voters, create unnecessary work for county boards of elections, and undermine confidence in the process.”

LaRose has previously warned Ohio voters about misleading mail campaigns from outside organizations, including the Center for Voter Information, which has sent unsolicited mailers that mimic official government documents, contain partially filled-out voter registration forms, and rely on inaccurate or outdated data that is often purchased commercially and not sourced through the official statewide voter rolls.

Ohio voters who receive unsolicited election mail should remember:

• These mailers are not affiliated with the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office or Ohio’s county boards of elections.
• Voters who are already registered at their current address do not need to take action because of an outside mailing.
• Voters should verify their registration status through Ohio’s official voter tools at VoteOhio.gov.

 “Ohio makes it easy to register to vote, update your address, and confirm your information through secure, official channels,” said Aaron Ockerman, Executive Director of the Ohio Association of Election Officials. “Before responding to any unsolicited mailing, voters should go directly to VoteOhio.gov or check their county board of elections website to confirm their registration status.”
 
For trusted information about registering to vote, updating your address, finding your polling location, or reviewing election deadlines, visit the Van Wert County Board of Elections website (click here), or  VoteOhio.gov.