Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose said Monday he has referred evidence of suspected election violations to prosecutors in 20 counties, including Tuscarawas County.
“We take every allegation of wrongdoing in our elections seriously, whether it’s a fake signature on a petition, a fraudulent voter registration form or a stolen vote,” LaRose said in a news release.
Voter fraud is rare, numerous reports have found. Many instances of alleged fraud turn out to be the mistakes of voters or administrators, according to New York University’s Brennan Center for Justice .
Dan Lusheck, deputy communications director with the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office, told the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau the violations involve petition forms to grant minor party status and to place a constitutional amendment about redistricting on the November ballot.
He said violations also involved fraudulent voter registration forms submitted by canvassers working for Black Fork Strategies, an Ohio-based company that offers voter registration and canvassing services.