Via Electronic Mail and
Regular U.S. Mail
October 9, 2020
Mr. Eli Kalil
Chairperson
Ashtabula County Democratic Executive Committee
2829 North Ridge Road East
Ashtabula, OH 44004
Re: Ashtabula County Board of Elections Vacancy

Dear Mr. Kalil:
My Office received the Ashtabula County Democratic Executive Committee’s September
2, 2020 recommendation to fulfill the unexpired term of Luanne Laakso, who retired from
the Ashtabula County Board of Elections on August 29, 2020.
In the case of a vacancy on a board of elections, the Revised Code provides that the county
executive committee of the party entitled to the appointment may recommend a qualified
elector to fill such vacancy, and the Secretary of State “shall appoint such elector, unless
[the Secretary] has reason to believe the elector would not be a competent member of
such board.”1 “The Secretary has discretion to determine the competence of a
recommended candidate...”2 ”Competence” to serve involves qualities beyond intelligence
and integrity. It also includes the basic ability to get along with co-workers and inspire
confidence in the election system.” 3
As Ohio’s Chief Election Officer, it is my duty to administer free and fair elections in our
state, and there is no duty in which this responsibility resonates more profoundly than in
the appointment of board of elections members to work on behalf of the voters of their
county. This is a responsibility that I take very seriously. As there is presently a vacancy on
R.C. 3501.07.
State ex rel. Lawrence Cty. Republican Party, 119 Ohio St.3d 92, 2008-Ohio-3753, 892 N.E.2d 428, ¶ 13
3
State ex rel. Lucas Cty. Democratic Executive Commt. v. Brown, 39 Ohio St.3d 157, 162-163, 314 N.E.2d
376 (1974)
1
2

 the Ashtabula County Board of Elections, the Ashtabula County Democratic Party
accordingly recommended a candidate for this vacancy. After carefully considering this
recommendation, I determined that the recommended candidate would not be a
competent member of the Ashtabula County Board of Elections.
My office has been made aware of allegations which raise serious questions about the
recommended candidate’s competency to serve in this capacity. This candidate has been
investigated for encouraging a constituent to forge the signature of another person on a
voter registration form, and for altering the dates on voter registration forms. Any and all
such allegations must be taken very seriously. These troubling accusations raise serious
questions of the candidate’s integrity and competence to serve in this capacity. This
appointment would diminish the public confidence in our elections.
Having reached this conclusion, I reject the Executive Committee's recommendation of
Mr. Kalil for the vacancy on the Ashtabula County Board of Elections.

Yours in service,
Frank LaRose
Ohio Secretary of State

Office of the Ohio Secretary of State

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