Statement: The Voter Participation Center and Center for Voter Information Response to Ohio Secretary of State on Voter Registration Outreach

In response to Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s press release this week regarding outreach to unregistered individuals from voter registration organizations, including the Center for Voter Information, Tom Lopach, President and CEO of the Voter Participation Center and Center for Voter Information, released the following statement:

“The Ohio Secretary of State has mischaracterized the important work of our organizations. In sending out mailings to unregistered voters in Ohio and in states nationwide, the Voter Participation Center and the Center for Voter Information’s (CVI) missions are to increase voter registration among historically underrepresented Americans — people of color, young people, and unmarried women. Since 2003, our nonprofit, nonpartisan organizations have helped over 7 million Americans submit voter registration applications.

“Recently, VPC and CVI sent over 350,000 voter registration applications to citizens in Ohio, making it easy for them to register to vote. The mailing is part of a nationwide push to ensure every eligible American is able to participate in our nation’s democratic process — something that election officials in every state should support. 

“Unlike other organizations accused of spreading misleading information to voters, VPC and CVI work in collaboration with local election officials and provide samples of our mail packages to them before mailers reach residents. We also send the very same voter registration forms used by the state. VPC and CVI take our mailing list process seriously, exercising all precautions and leveraging the best technology available to verify that recipients are eligible to vote and unregistered at their current address. We constantly refine this process for accuracy. VPC and CVI will keep working to ensure that all eligible Ohioans can make their voices heard in November and in future elections, and we hope that election officials will support our efforts.”

The Voter Participation Center (VPC) and the Center for Voter Information (CVI) are non-profit, non-partisan organizations dedicated to increasing civic engagement and closing voter registration and turnout gaps. Since 2003, VPC and CVI have helped register millions of voters—particularly among historically underrepresented communities—and continue to run the nation’s largest mail-based and digital voter engagement programs.