Ohio elections chief announces new public integrity unit

By ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS
Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio’s Republican elections chief says he is responding to Americans’ “crisis of confidence” in the U.S. electoral system by creating a public integrity unit to consolidate his office’s investigative work, including rare cases of voter fraud or voter suppression. Secretary of State Frank LaRose says the division announced Wednesday will more efficiently bring together work his office already does, such as voting system certification and investigation of election law violations. Eventually, after the November election, LaRose also wants to incorporate a dedicated team of investigators to focus on any alleged election or voting violations. LaRose says it’s another step to boost Ohioans’ faith in the election system.