Ohio SOS LaRose Defends Sending Voter Data to DOJ

As the Trump administration continues to insist that states beef up election security, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose is defending his role in sending voter data along to the federal government.

In May 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice began requesting that states hand over statewide voter registration lists. The lists contain information such as names, addresses, driver’s license information, and Social Security numbers that can be used to spot ineligible voters and remove them from the rolls.

Ohio is one of 12 states that have complied with the DOJ’s request so far. The department has sued another 29 states for denying the information.

In an interview with The Daily Signal, LaRose said Ohio has an interest in preventing voter fraud and “decided it was the right thing to do.”

“I believe the federal law requires us to share this data with the Department of Justice, so I did it,” LaRose said Friday. “Ohio is maintaining our voter rolls more accurately and more thoroughly than almost any other states, probably any other state in the country.”

While the secretary said he’s not afraid of being sued, he met with Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon and her staff to ensure Ohio’s sensitive voter data “was going to be transmitted securely” and used only for “lawful purposes.”

States that have refused to comply argue that voter roll data is highly sensitive, and that it can be stolen for purposes of identity theft, harassment, or to access financial or government records.

LaRose said the federal government is bound by protection requirements he called “very stringent,” and added that any official who misused such data would be held criminally liable.

“I’m not going to bemoan any of our other Republican states that decided not to share this data, because, in some cases, they have state law that says they may not,” LaRose said.

At the same time, the secretary acknowledged he has a “responsibility to the people of Ohio” to guarantee data would be handled securely.

Earlier this month, Ohio Democratic state Rep. Allison Russo filed a records request to identify the types of data LaRose sent to the federal government, and to seek transparency on the EleXa program Ohio uses for voter integrity.

EleXa is a multi-state election integrity network used to replace the Electronic Registration Information Center, or ERIC, which more than two dozen states have used to manage voter roll accuracy since 2019.

“Government use of personal information relies on public trust, and Ohio has a compelling interest and obligation in protecting individuals’ privacy and personal information,” Russo said in a statement.

“Secretary LaRose often mentions election integrity when making decisions, but election integrity must include securing voter information in a way that does not undermine privacy, enable manipulation, or erode confidence in our elections. Protecting this data is essential not only to prevent abuse, but to preserve the public’s trust that the democratic process is fair, secure, and worthy of participation.”

Russo’s office also maintained that data on 8 million Ohio voters was transferred to the DOJ “without clear legal authority for the agency’s request.”

LaRose insisted it should not be controversial to share such data, arguing that Social Security numbers come from the federal government, and that the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles “routinely” exchanges data with the federal government for taxes and other reasons. In addition, he said Ohio quit the ERIC program because it “proved unfixable.”

As for lawsuits, Ohio’s secretary of state said he predicts the U.S. Supreme Court will ultimately rule that states must share data with the federal government under both the Federal Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act.