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State Democratic Party Leader Criticizes Husted's Voter Purge Directive

photo of David Pepper
STATEHOUSE NEWS BUREAU
Pepper said Husted should have waited for Secretary of State-elect Frank LaRose to take office.

The leader of the Ohio Democratic Party is calling out Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted for issuing an order on so-called voter purging just weeks before he leaves office.

Ohio Democratic Party Chair David Pepper thinks it’s “outrageous” that Husted is calling on county boards of elections to start canceling voter registrations now. This process, which critics call purging, has been on hold for two years. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled it constitutional this summer.

But Pepper said Husted should wait until Secretary of State-elect Frank LaRose takes over.

“The idea that here in the Thanksgiving break this is what Jon Husted’s announcing when he’s only gonna be there for a few more weeks it just doesn’t make any sense,” Pepper said.

LaRose, a Republican like Husted, has said he wants to take a serious look at the process in order to keep voters registered.

Andy Chow is a general assignment state government reporter who focuses on environmental, energy, agriculture, and education-related issues. He started his journalism career as an associate producer with ABC 6/FOX 28 in Columbus before becoming a producer with WBNS 10TV.