Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced charges on Tuesday against six individuals for allegedly voting as non-citizens in previous elections.
The indictments come after Ohio removed 500 non-citizens from its rolls in August after an audit of its voter registration database. Other states, like Georgia and Texas, have removed thousands of non-citizens from their rolls in recent months in the lead up to the November election.
“The right to vote is sacred,” Yost said. “If you’re not a U.S. citizen, it’s illegal to vote – whether you thought you were allowed to or not – you will be held accountable.”
Those charged included Ramesh Patel, 68, of North Royalton; Lorinda Miller, 78, of Hudson; Nicholas Fontaine, 32; Ahmed Aden, 35, of Columbus; Van Thuy Cooper, 53, of Hilliard; and Maria Dearaujo, 62, of Columbus. They could all face up to 18 months in prison if convicted.
