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Counter Points is written by WVXU Senior Political Analyst Howard Wilkinson. In it, he shares insights on political news on the local, state and national level that impacts the 2020 election. Counter Points is delivered once a week on Wednesdays and will cease publication soon after the November election is decided.

Ohio Rated Second-Worst State In U.S. For Voter Privacy

A voter fills out his ballot, taking advantage of early voting, Sunday, March 15, 2020, in Steubenville, Ohio.
Gene J. Puskar
/
Associated Press
A voter fills out his ballot, taking advantage of early voting, Sunday, March 15, 2020, in Steubenville, Ohio.

Ohio is one of the worst states in the country for voter privacy, according to the consumer group Comparitech.

Ohio ranked second-to-last in the country, with only North Carolina performing worse. Ohio came out so low because a list with voter details is available online without any authentication required to access it.

However, Ohio does mandate that voter records can only be used for non-commercial purposes, and has sanctions in place for those who violate that rule.

Voter registration information is a public record in most states. But states that scored higher in the survey limit access based on how the list will be used, or impose stiffer penalties than Ohio.

Virginia scored highest for voter privacy. That state requires members of the public to prove they will use the list to promote voter registration and participation to gain access.

Copyright 2020 WOSU 89.7 NPR News

Paige Pfleger is a reporter for WOSU, Central Ohio's NPR station. Before joining the staff of WOSU, Paige worked in the newsrooms of NPR, Vox, Michigan Radio, WHYY and The Tennessean. She spent three years in Philadelphia covering health, science, and gender, and her work has appeared nationally in The Washington Post, Marketplace, Atlas Obscura and more.