Rep. Russo Files Records Request with Ohio Secretary of State to Uncover Scope of State Data Shared with Federal Agencies

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) last week filed a records request with the office of Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose seeking clarity on the extent of Ohioan’s personal information shared with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and Homeland Security. The request also seeks transparency on Secretary LaRose’s EleXa program which has been described as “a new, multi-state election integrity network”.

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

This request follows Secretary LaRose’s recent provision of the sensitive voter information of nearly 8 million Ohioans to the DOJ without clear legal authority for the agency’s request. The records request filed by Rep. Russo aims to clarify what categories of information were provided to the DOJ such as driver’s license and state ID numbers, social security numbers, and voter addresses shielded from public disclosure. The request also seeks further clarification on how the DOJ intends to use this data as well as confirmation that this data will be protected. Currently, Ohio is only one of twelve states that has complied with the DOJ’s demand for sensitive voter data.

EDITOR’S NOTE: A copy of the records request is attached to this press release.