As the Nov. 5 general election approaches, third-party groups appear to be trying to bog down county boards of elections with requests to systematically remove thousands from voter rolls. In Ohio, the state chapters of Common Cause and the League of Women Voters, represented by the ACLU and the Brennan Center for Justice, are alerting Secretary of State Frank LaRose to what the groups say are the illegal systematic removal of voters from the rolls in Delaware, Muskingum, probably Logan and possibly Cuyahoga counties. The groups cite public records, including minutes of county election board meetings, voter challenge materials and other communications as evidence there have been mass removals.

The National Voter Registration Act prohibits the systematic removal of names from voter rolls 90 days before a federal election. And, according to the advocacy groups, the U.S. Department of Justice has issued guidance making it clear a person can be removed for change of residency only if the voter submits a written address change, or if a flagged registration has met all federal notice and waiting period requirements.

For his part, LaRose’s office says he cast the tie vote last week AGAINST sustaining most of the Delaware County registration challenges. Surely he will waste no time investigating claims made regarding other counties. Ensuring every eligible voter is able to make their voice heard is too important to risk on political games.