Full Breakdown
Ohio Voting Rights Groups Challenge New Voter Purge Law
2/14/2026, 3:54:50 AM
Overview of the Lawsuit Against Senate Bill 293
Voting rights organizations, including the League of Women Voters of Ohio and the Council on American-Islamic Relations–Northern Ohio, have filed a federal lawsuit against Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, challenging the constitutionality of Senate Bill 293 (SB 293). This law, signed by Governor Mike DeWine in December 2025, mandates monthly comparisons of Ohio’s voter rolls with data from the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) and the federal Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) system. The plaintiffs argue that this law could lead to the wrongful purging of eligible voters, particularly naturalized citizens, without prior notice, even close to election dates.
Key Provisions of Senate Bill 293
SB 293 requires the state to conduct systematic checks of voter registration data against outdated citizenship records. If a voter is flagged as a potential noncitizen, their registration can be canceled without any prior notification or opportunity to contest the decision. The law's implementation is set to begin in March 2026, with concerns that it violates the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) by allowing voter removals during the 90-day quiet period before federal elections.
Risks to Naturalized Citizens
Approximately 300,000 of Ohio's 7.9 million registered voters are naturalized citizens, who may be disproportionately affected by SB 293. The lawsuit highlights that many naturalized citizens are still recorded as noncitizens in state databases due to outdated information. This reliance on inaccurate data raises the risk of disenfranchisement, as eligible voters may only discover their registration has been canceled on Election Day.
Official Statements & Responses
The plaintiffs assert that SB 293 undermines the fundamental right to vote and violates due process as guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment. Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio, stated, “Instead of welcoming new voters... SB 293 creates an unnecessary, discriminatory hurdle for naturalized citizens to cast their ballots.” Similarly, Faten Husni Odeh, executive director of CAIR-Northern Ohio, emphasized that the law is discriminatory and undermines democracy under the guise of election integrity.
Criticism & Opposition
Critics of SB 293 argue that the law is an unlawful purge program that disproportionately targets naturalized citizens. Anna Baldwin, director of voting rights litigation at Campaign Legal Center, noted that the law relies on faulty data, which could lead to unjust disenfranchisement. The lawsuit seeks to prevent the enforcement of SB 293, arguing that it violates both the NVRA and the constitutional rights of voters.
What's Next
The lawsuit aims to block the enforcement of SB 293 before the May primary elections. The outcome of this legal challenge will have significant implications for voting rights in Ohio, particularly for naturalized citizens who may face increased barriers to participation in the electoral process.
Verbatim Quotes
“SB 293 is a direct threat to the fundamental right to vote and will disproportionately harm naturalized citizens across Ohio,” — Faten Husni Odeh, Executive Director, CAIR-Northern Ohio
“Eligible voters should be encouraged — not burdened — when exercising their fundamental right to vote,” — Caren Short, Director of Legal and Research, League of Women Voters of Ohio
“By relying on outdated and inaccurate citizenship databases, the state is setting up eligible voters — especially naturalized citizens—to be wrongly stripped from the rolls.” — Anna Baldwin, Director of Voting Rights Litigation, Campaign Legal Center
