In The News 8 January 2026

Secretary of State Frank LaRose announces inaugural meeting of Ohio Election Integrity Commission

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose today announced the inaugural meeting of the new Ohio Election Integrity Commission (OEIC) on Jan. 9, 2026, during which the new five-member, bipartisan panel will be sworn in and adopt the commission’s governing rules and procedures.

“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.”

On Jan. 9, the OEIC will hold its first public meeting to swear in the commission members, review and adopt rules, and appoint a hearing officer. The bipartisan OEIC is composed of the following five members:

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

• Karl Kerschner, serving as the representative of the Ohio Senate President;

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

• Matthew Brown, serving as the representative of the Speaker of the House; and

• John Lyall, serving as the representative of the House Minority Leader.
 
“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,” said Justice O’Donnell, chairman of the OEIC. “We have an opportunity to restore public confidence in the work of this commission.”
 
The Ohio General Assembly passed legislation last year to replace the flawed Ohio Elections Commission with a new Ohio Election Integrity Commission. The commission, with administrative support from the Ohio Secretary of State’s office, is responsible for enforcing Ohio’s election laws, reviewing alleged violations, and ensuring accountability in matters relating to voting.

Find the full complaint process and answers to frequently asked questions about the Ohio Election Integrity Commission here: https://files.constantcontact.com/b01249ec501/027774e3-bbdf-4e8b-8b83-f…

Meetings of the Ohio Election Integrity Commission can be watched live on OhioChannel.org. For more information visit OhioElectionIntegrity.gov.
 
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