19 Action News|Cleveland, OH|Breaking News, Weather, ExclusivesVoter Fraud: Radio Host Calls attention to a potential problem in Ohio Elections

Voter Fraud: Radio Host Calls attention to a potential problem in Ohio Elections

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 CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) - A problem in Ohio elections is gaining attention.

We're talking about dead voters, people who've past away but their names are still on the registration list.

The issue leaves the door wide open for voter fraud.

WTAM's Mike Trivisano got people fired up about voter fraud when he announced he'd received two vote by mail applications.

One for him and one for his wife. Problem is, Linda Trivisano died almost a year ago.

We asked Cuyahoga County's top elections official how could this happen. Why are deceased voters still on the registration list?

"When a voter dies, we are not allowed to take that voter off the list until I have verification from the Ohio Dept. of Health that that person has passed away," said Jane Platten, Dir. Board of Elections.

We thought that response wasn't good enough, so we checked to see how other states operate.

In Arizona, the voter registration list is automatically updated through a statewide data base and in Kansas, state law requires elections officials to "monitor obituary notices in local newspapers" as well as check with the state department of health.

Jane Platten defends Cuyahoga County's methods adding that each ballot application requires personal information and a signature.

"I have staff that looks at the signature on the ballot envelope according to the signature on my voter registration we do a signature comparison."

Platten does admit that there are dead voters on the registration roles, but proven voter fraud is extremely rare.

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