LaRose announces appointment of Crites to serve as chair of Ohio Election Integrity Commission

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has announced the appointment of D. Michael Crites to serve as chair of the Ohio Election Integrity Commission. 
 
Crites formally replaces retired state Supreme Court Justice Terrence O’Donnell, who served as the commission’s interim chair until the newly enacted Senate Bill 293 became law. The law removes a narrow and unnecessary restriction that prohibited the appointment of individuals who serve on another board or commission. 
 
“Mike is a highly respected former federal prosecutor and past chair of the Ohio Elections Commission,” said Secretary LaRose. “He’ll continue to provide the same high standard of ethics and integrity that we were honored to receive from Justice O’Donnell. I want to thank the Justice for answering the call to serve his state again, and I know his colleagues on the commission greatly appreciated the wise governance and legal professionalism he showed in the commission’s formative weeks.”
 
Crites served as United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio under two presidential administrations. His private sector legal career specialized in white collar crime and business litigation, and he retired as a litigation partner with Dinsmore & Shohl LLP in 2022, where he continues to work of counsel. He previously served as chair of the Ohio Elections Commission and continues to be very active in public service since his retirement, including chairing the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame executive committee and serving as a member of numerous state and local veterans services advisory boards. He is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and a Vietnam War veteran, and he retired as a captain in the United States Navy. 
 
The commission’s four other appointed members continuing their service include Karl C. Kerschner, representative of the President of the Ohio Senate; Matthew S. Brown, representative of the Speaker of the Ohio House; Eben (Sandy) O. McNair, IV, representative of the Minority Leader of the Ohio Senate; and John Lyall, representative of the Minority Leader of the Ohio House.