New commission begins work enforcing Ohio election laws

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(The Center Square) – A new government body charged with enforcing election laws in Ohio begins work today.

The Ohio Election Integrity Commission began its work with a new, five-member panel that was sworn in and adopted new governing rules and procedures.

It was created by the General Assembly earlier this year to replace the Ohio Election Commission, which Secretary of State Frank LaRose had called weak.

“The launch of the Ohio Election Integrity Commission is an opportunity to restore confidence through accountability and openness. Building this new system will take careful work, but by enforcing the law fairly and consistently, we’re strengthening Ohio’s elections for today and for the future,” LaRose said in a statement.

Commission members include:

• Former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Terrance O’Donnell, serving as the commission’s chair and representative of LaRose.

• Karl Kerschner, serving as the representative of Senate President Rob McColley.

• Eben (Sandy) O. McNair, IV, serving as the representative of the Senate Minority Leader Nicki Antonio.

• Matthew Brown, serving as the representative of the House Speaker Matt Huffman.

• John Lyall, serving as the representative of the House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn.

“I’m honored to chair the commission in its formative days, and I look forward to working with my fellow members to ensure that the new commission is working as it should for the people of Ohio,” O’Donnell said in a statement. “We have an opportunity to restore public confidence in the work of this commission.”

LaRose began pushing for the change in early 2025, when he asked the Senate to improve the Ohio Election Commission’s oversight authority.

He called the commission toothless and pointed to $100 million in fines it handed out that had not been collected.

He pushed to create the Election Integrity Commission, along with raising qualifications for commissioners to include legal or other experience in campaign finance and election law.