(The Center Square) – Ohio Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose wants the General Assembly to tighten campaign finance laws with an eye toward potential constitutional amendments that could appear before state voters.
LaRose’s recommendations to lawmakers come just months after voters overwhelmingly rejected three GOP-back positions on amendments and as efforts are under way for voters to decide on voter registration expansion, a higher minimum wage and redistricting.
“Voters must have absolute confidence that our elections are never tainted by foreign influence,” LaRose told Republican leadership in a letter. “This loophole must be closed immediately, and parties giving and receiving illegal funds must be deterred from these actions. I appeal to you for swift consideration of a legislative solution, as we’ve already seen petitions being circulated for proposed constitutional amendments from redistricting reform to same-day voter registration, with others no doubt coming.”
LaRose, who is also running for the U.S. Senate, wants several changes to the state’s campaign finance laws, including:
• Expand the current campaign finance prohibition on foreign nationals to include indirect contributions targeting ballot issues and questions.
• Enhance deterrence by fining campaign finance violators an amount equal to three times the amount of money involved in the illegal act.
• Enforce the same fine on organizations receiving these illegal funds.
• Enact new safeguards requiring companies that offer free or low-cost cybersecurity services to candidates and campaign committees to be reviewed and confirmed by the Board of Voting Machine Examiners.
“Our goal in the administration of Ohio’s elections is simple: easy to vote and hard to cheat,” LaRose said. “This can only be achieved, however, if we continue to look for ways to improve the integrity of the process.”
Republicans created an August special election to make it more difficult to change the constitution by requiring 60% voter approval rather than a simple majority. Voters rejected it 61% to 39%.
In November, voters also spurred GOP-back positions by overwhelmingly enshrining abortion rights in the state constitution and making recreational marijuana legal.
LaRose says foreign money bankrolled campaigns for the November amendments.
“In reviewing the campaign finance records associated with two statewide constitutional ballot issues in 2023, my staff compiled evidence showing foreign nationals have funneled hundreds of millions of dollars into 501(c) entities, which then spent millions of dollars in Ohio to influence the outcomes of these proposed constitutional amendments,” LaRose said.
