"This settlement demonstrates the positive impact citizens can have when they demand better accuracy in voting records," True theVote President Catherine Engelbrecht said. "Every person fundamentally understands the problems that come with bloated voter rolls and inefficient maintenance processes. This settlement - under Secretary Jon Husted's leadership - will bring Ohio much closer to being on the cutting edge of smart voting policy that holds records and officials accountable."
"Election officials in the State of Ohio are to be commended for shouldering their responsibility to maintain clean voter registration lists. This is a historic settlement, the first of its kind in the history of the National Voter Registration Act. Dirty election rolls can lead to voter and election fraud. Under the terms of this groundbreaking settlement, the people of Ohio can now rest easier that their elections will be cleaner, beginning with the 2014 elections. The problem of dirty rolls is a nationwide problem, and Ohio's good faith steps to address it can serve as a model for other states," stated Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.
The historic, preferred settlement agreement between True the Vote and the State of Ohio outlines a number of voter roll maintenance procedures that will address outdated and bloated voter rolls in all 88 counties. A summary of the Ohio Settlement Agreement consists of:
Monthly utilization of federal data sources to collect out-of-state death notices for removal of deceased records;
Participation in the Kansas-administered Voter Registration Cross-Check Program to identify and remove outdated and/or duplicate records;
Utilize Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles data to update voter registrations with changes of address;
Dedicate resources to encourage voters to use online tools to keep voter records updated;
Build outreach programs to voters who do not consistently participate in election activities.
True the Vote and Judicial Watch initially gave notice to Ohio election officials in February of 2012, stating that three counties (Auglaize, Morrow, and Wood) each held over 100 percent voter registration compared against voting age population. The groups inquired into existing efforts to resolve the problem - given that another 31 counties were close to surpassing 100 percent rates as well. Secretary Husted responded, stating that efforts to maintain rolls were hampered due to conflicting legal mandates and zero enforcement from the Holder Justice Department. In August of 2012, both TTV and JW were left with no viable options but a federal lawsuit.
True the Vote and Judicial Watch's lawsuit was originally filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio - Eastern Division.
A copy of the Ohio Settlement Agreement can be viewed here:
Settlement agreement signed by Ohio Secretary of StateSettlement agreement signed by True the Vote/Judicial WatchTrue the Vote (TTV) is an IRS-designated 501(c)(3) voters' rights organization, founded to inspire and equip volunteers for involvement at every stage of our electoral process. TTV empowers organizations and individuals across the nation to actively protect the rights of legitimate voters, regardless of their political party affiliation. For more information, please visit www.truethevote.org.
